


Le lapin poursuit le chat deux

by MellowFellowEllie



Series: Le lapin poursuit le chat [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Chat Noir Being Chat Noir, Fluff, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Just a dumb boy being in love, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Chat Noir/Ladybug, Season 2, Still Socially Awkward MC, evan more pining over Chat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 130,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24900946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellowFellowEllie/pseuds/MellowFellowEllie
Summary: Being Lapin Blanc was more than enough for Evan. He didn't need anything else. He'd happily sit back and watch Ladybug and Chat inevitably fall in love and wouldn't say a thing. All the while holding his feelings close to his chest so no one would ever know. Because he was a good friend.Definitely wasn't fair to be that cute though.(Season 2)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Original Male Character(s), Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Le lapin poursuit le chat [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801825
Comments: 181
Kudos: 327





	1. The Collector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to everyone that already read the chapter for the edit, but the original ending didn't sit right. Everything except cutting off the awkwardly placed reconciliation is the same and I hope it flows better for everyone like it did me. 
> 
> I seriously am sorry.

“ _All you’ve been doing is getting in the way!” Ladybug yells back, immediately regretting her words as Lapin freezes._

“ _Fine,” he says, and she gasps at the sight of his tears. “I’ll make sure not to make that mistake again.”_

_She steps forward, panic swirling in her stomach. “Wait, I didn’t...”_

_Before she can stop him, Lapin activates his Miraculous and runs away. Calling after him, a heavy feeling settles in her chest as his hurt expression flashes in her mind. What have I done? She questions herself, anger snuffed out like a candle._

“ _Lapin!” Chat yells, panicking as he gets ready to follow after him. With Ladybug racing alongside him, Lapin is already long gone when they reach the rooftops. “Why would you say that!” he questions loudly, turning towards Ladybug with a frustrated look._

“ _I didn’t mean it!” she responds, fighting down the urge to cry. “I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted him to be more careful!”_

_He crosses his arms, frowning with a tense sigh. “You really hurt him, Ladybug. He looked like he was going to cry.”_

“ _I know! I just...I messed up,” she says the last part softly, wanting nothing more than to apologize to the rabbit hero. She didn’t mean it to come out that way, but her friend would've died if they didn’t get the inflatable stunt mat blown up when they did. It was scary._

“ _You...you don’t think he’ll disappear, do you?” Chat asks, stomach dropping at the thought._

_Ladybug’s eyes widen. He wouldn’t....right?_

\------

Blinking heavily as I slowly start to wake up, I stare at the ceiling tiredly. “What time is it?” I grumble, before remembering that everything that happened yesterday wasn’t just a bad dream. The illusions, the fight with Ladybug...the fight with Blann.

My eyes sting, dry and painful from all the crying from yesterday. I ended up sitting on my floor for what felt like hours before finally climbing into bed. Now that I was a lot calmer it was obvious that I was unfair to Blann. A heavy feeling of guilt settles in my stomach as I cover my face with my arm. I was horrible. _Am horrible._

Sitting up, I scrub at my face before taking a deep breath. It was pathetic that I didn’t have better control on how I felt. Blann deserved better from me. Not getting lashed out at like a child just because my feelings were hurt.

Slipping out of bed, I head towards the area I threw the bracelet. I needed to apologize to Blann before I did anything else. Feeling along the carpet for it, I quickly find it next to the leg of my desk. Holding it in my hand, a ball forms in my throat at the thought of confronting the small rabbit Kwami.

Would he be angry? Or maybe he’d be hurt. Heartbroken that I threw the one thing that bound us together away so easily in a fit of rage.

Steeling myself as I swallow my growing anxiety, I slip the bracelet back on my left wrist. A small burst of light floods the room before a small body latches onto my face with a loud cry.

“I thought I was never going to see you again!” Blann sobs, whole body quaking as he clings to me.

My eyes burn, chest tightening painfully. “I’m sorry, Blann,” I say softly, cupping him in my hand and brushing my thumb against the back of his head gently.

A new wave of sobs racks his tiny body as he tightens his hold on me. Stomach churning uncomfortably, I continue to pet him as I stare guiltily at the floor. This was all my fault.

Moving back to my bed I lay on my side, carefully pulling him off my cheek and holding him in my palm. Brushing away the large, wet tears that gather in his eyes, my free hand brushes across the top of his head lightly.

After a few minutes his crying turns to quiet sniffling as he looks up at me.

My chest stings at the sight and I whisper out another apology, wishing to somehow magically fix everything. Like Ladybug.

Like a real hero could.

“Promise me you won’t quit,” he says softly, almost inaudibly.

I grimace, shifting my gaze away from him. “Blann…”

“You were chosen to be a hero, Evan,” he continues, ignoring my sigh. “Just like all the others before you, there was something inside of you that proved you had the strength to be a Miraculous holder.”

I wanted to laugh. Me? Being worth something? Being strong? I was just a tragic side character to the amazing story of Ladybug and Chat Noir. They’d have still saved the day with or without me.

Blann hugs my thumb tight, as if reading my mind. “I wish you loved yourself half as much as everyone else loved you,” he says, causing me to look away uncomfortably.

It felt wrong to assume the people close to me felt that way. I mean, what was there to love about someone like me?

“You aren’t the first Lapin Blanc to struggle with being a hero,” he says after a moment of silence.

I glance back at him, my interest piqued. “Really?” I question, almost hesitantly.

“They hurt, just like you. But, they were also idiotically brave, risking their safety for others, impulsive…” he trails off, looking up at me, “ _just like you._ ”

I bite my cheek, unsure how to process his words. “Did they also stupidly fall in love with their Chat’s?” I joke lightly, hoping to change the subject.

“A few did,” he answers, small smile warm and wistful.

For a moment my heart skips, a new question quickly forming on my lips. “Did any of them end up together?”

He lets out a small giggle as he nods.

I almost choke, a brief feeling of hope fluttering in my chest. So it was possible? Maybe...maybe _I_ had a chance with Chat? Before I could revel in the thought, the fight with Ladybug pops in my head, sobering me instantly. Didn’t matter how I felt, because it wasn’t like I was going to see him anymore anyway.

“I’m probably a real disappointment, huh?” I mumble, wanting to hide my face in my pillow.

“You’re not.” The seriousness in his voice surprises me. “You’re my favorite bunny, remember? A silly fight doesn’t change that.”

I desperately wanted to believe that. “I bet you say that to all the Lapin Blancs,” I say with a small smile, it growing when he giggles.

“Only when I mean it.”

I laugh lightly, rubbing his head with my thumb. How could I have been so mean to someone like him?

“I won’t push you about your decision to quit, but…at least promise to _really_ think about it before deciding. Please?” he begs, eyes twinkling as he looks at me pleadingly.

My shoulders tense as I glance away from him. It was a difficult thought, going back to being a hero after everything that was said. But if it would make him happy… “I guess,” I finally relent, looking back at him as he smiles.

“Don’t worry, I know you’ll make the right choice.”

At least that made one of us.

Smiling softly as he begins to drift off to sleep, I try not to dwell on the uncertainty swirling in my stomach. Closing my eyes, I force myself to relax and take a deep, calming breath. I’d feel more refreshed in the morning.

An anxious thought suddenly pierces my brain. _Would Blann leave if I really did quit being a hero?_ I bite the inside of my cheek, a knot forming in my stomach. Now that I was thinking about it, would Ladybug and Chat even want me back? She said I was in the way, so why was Blann even assuming everything would work out if I changed my mind? I mean, Chat...Chat was probably real happy that I was gone anyway. He’d have Ladybug all to himself, without me around to cause a distraction…

An anxious feeling settles in my stomach the longer my thoughts continue to spiral. Careful not to jostle the still sleeping Kwami in my hand, I rub my eyes frustratedly. I should’ve known better than to try and go back to sleep after our conversation.

Rolling on my back, I stare up at the ceiling trying to will myself to sleep. It obviously doesn't work and I let out an aggravated sigh.

Starting to count sheep, it isn’t until I get to around 300 that I start to feel a little drowsy. But before I could even start to fall asleep my alarm blares loudly, making me open my eyes with a groan. Slipping Blann out of my hand as he begins to stir, I reach over and turn it off. Of course I wouldn’t get any more sleep. Was it really that surprising?

“Morning already?” Blann mumbles, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he yawns tiredly.

I smile apologetically at him. “Sorry.” I get out of bed with a grunt, rolling my shoulders as I silently hate myself.

Today was going to be annoyingly long.

When I finally make it to class, I sigh tiredly before spotting Nino at his desk and greeting him with a wave. “Hey, Nino.” I smile, hoping the bags under my eyes weren’t that noticeable.

“Dude…” he drags out, staring up at me with wide-eyes. “You’ve got some serious circles,” he says, pointing under his eyes.

I laugh lightly, scratching the side of my head as I look away. “That obvious, huh?” So much for that…

“Way worse than usual, man.”

I’m not quite sure how to take that.

Suddenly a loud wail shatters the calm atmosphere of the classroom and I whip around in alarm just in time to see Chloe collapse against the stairs. Sharing a look with Nino as she lets out another dramatic cry, I reluctantly head over with him to see what the problem was.

“It’s a totally unfair tragedy!” she wails, and I look away, crossing my arms. “Adrien’s never coming back to school!”

I look back at her, alarmed. What?

“What are you—” Nino cuts off, taking out his phone as it goes off, eyes widening. “She’s right, dudes.”

He shows me his phone, the text message from Adrien on the screen. As I read it my stomach drops with every word.

He wasn’t allowed to come to school because of a stupid book?

“I’ve gotta go,” I say quickly, ignoring Nino's questioning look as I head out of the classroom.

His dad couldn’t just lock him up! I head down the stairs, a worried-frustration building in me. His saddened expression when he was talking about being homeschooled was something I was never going to forget. Even to an idiot like me, it was obvious he hated being treated like that.

Leaving the school, I mumble a quick apology when I almost bump into Marinette before continuing down the street.

I wouldn’t— _couldn’t_ —stand by while one of my friends was probably hurting. Especially someone that wanted nothing more than to be free. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I had to check on him, let him know he wasn’t alone.

Quickly reaching the mansion, I press the buzzer and cross my arms. I falter slightly when a camera shoves itself in my face, but I shake my head when a woman’s voice asks why I’m here. Now that I was in front of his house, talking to someone, the reality of what I was doing was hard to ignore.

But I wasn’t going to run away if he needed someone.

“I’m here to see Adrien, ma’am,” I say, trying not to look as tense as I felt.

“He’s not allowed visitors right now. He’s grounded until further notice,” she says, making me grit my teeth.

“Then I would like to talk to Mr. Agreste.” If I couldn’t talk to Adrien, I’d go directly to the source of the problem.

“I’m sorry, but he’s very busy today. You’ll have to come back some other time.” With that the sound cuts off, camera disappearing back into the fence without another word.

Resisting the urge to kick the brick wall, I glare at the mansion before stomping away. Rounding the corner, I head towards the flower shop, knowing I was too frustrated to go back to school and deal with an overdramatic Chloe.

Crossing the street, I don’t bother with the back exit, a surprised Aunt Claire greeting me as I enter through the glass doors.

“Did you forget something?” she asks, concerned.

I briefly juggle the idea of feigning sick, but can’t bring myself to lie to her. “It’s a bad day,” I answer. _Bad day_ a code word for _‘I need to be alone’._ It was simple and told her I wasn’t in the right headspace to deal with a bunch of people.

“I’ll be here if you need anything,” she says, smiling understandingly at me as I pass her.

I pause long enough to thank her before heading upstairs. Locking my door when I reach my room, I toss my messenger bag on the bed and throw myself on the sofa. This was stupid.

“I’m sure he’s okay, Evan,” Blann offers as he floats in front of my face.

My leg bounces anxiously as I bite the inside of my cheek. “But what if he isn’t?” I ask, glancing out at the Agreste mansion across the street. “I was never allowed to leave the house after I got in trouble either.”

_Too many bruises._

A small paw on my nose brings my attention back to Blann. “If you’re worried about him, why not pay him a visit?”

“I already tried, remember? That lady said he wasn’t allowed visitors.” I frown, leaning back as I cross my arms.

Blann grins impishly. “What if it was Lapin Blanc?”

“No, I…” I sit up, looking down in thought before shaking my head. It was a silly idea.

“You can make sure everything’s alright and then transform right back.”

I glance at the Agreste mansion. “It _would_ only take a minute…”

“In and out!”

“It might even cheer him up if he’s upset…”

“Show him he’s not all alone!”

I bite the inside of my cheek, leg bouncing. “I’ve checked on him before, after everything that happened with Simon Says. So it...wouldn’t be weird, right?”

“No way! You’d just be checking on someone you were worried about!”

“Yeah...you’re right!” I nod, standing with renewed purpose. I’d be quick and get back home before I even had the chance of meeting Ladybug or Chat.

It was almost ridiculously easy.

“Okay, Blann, ears up!”

Quickly reaching Adrien’s window, I spot him playing foosball by himself. As I knock on the window to get his attention, he panics for a moment before whirling around with an alarmed look. Waving at him, his eyes lock with mine as his shock grows.

Jumping in when he opens the window with a remote, I don’t waste any time grabbing him by the shoulders and looking him over.

“You okay?” I ask, sweeping my gaze along him once again with a serious eye.

“Yeah?” he answers, almost confused, before quickly shaking his head and asking, “Are _you_ okay?”

Letting him go, I step back, not understanding his sudden worry. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“The...the fight with Lady—”

“How do you know about that?” I cut him off, sounding harsher than intended.

He flounders, panicking. “I—uh—word gets around I guess?”

I don’t completely buy it, but I didn’t have the strength to push it. Wound still too fresh to poke at. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” I say, trying not to show my hurt. “I just wanted to check on you. So since you’re okay, I’ll be leaving.” As I turn to leave, Adrien’s hand suddenly shoots forward and grabs my wrist.

“You’re not really going to quit, right?” he asks hurriedly, a touch of desperation in his voice.

The question alone makes me tense and I pinch the bridge of my nose with a sigh. “Jeez, just how much have you heard?” I mumble as I shake my head. Turning to face him, I grin lightly and ruffle his hair. “Don’t worry, Mr. Model, Paris won’t be any less protected without me around.”

“Ladybug didn’t mean what she said, you know! She was still freaking out about you almost dying,” he says quickly, pleadingly.

My chest tightens as I look away. “No offense, Adrien, but you weren’t there. You didn’t hear what she said. And Chat didn’t…” my voice catches and I want to punch myself.

“Didn’t what?” Adrien pushes, almost frantic.

_Didn’t stick up for me._

I shake my head, rubbing the underside of my undercut with a small sigh. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter anymore. And you—” I poke his forehead with a practiced smile—“shouldn’t worry about little old me.”

He nudges my hand away with an unhappy expression. “You...“

My hand quickly covers his mouth, silencing him. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Model.” I grin softly before stepping away. Hopping up on the window ledge, I give him one last smile before leaping away as he calls for me to wait.

Sneaking back to my balcony, my tonfa begins to bleep, signaling either Ladybug or Chat was calling. Unable to bring myself to answer, I ignore the noise and transform back.

“What are you doing? It could be important!” Blann objects as soon as he appears.

I almost wince, burying my guilty conscience with a huff. “They’ll handle whatever it is just fine. I’d just be in the way.”

The rabbit Kwami looks at me disappointingly before flying towards my bed and burrowing under the blanket.

My stomach churns as a foreboding sense of guilt almost crushes me. Staring at the small hidden mass for a moment, I hang my head and head towards the sofa, sitting on it with a sigh. Turning on the TV for some mindless background noise, my eyes wander to the large shelf of books tucked away in the nook of my room.

Heading over to it, I reach for the very top and pull down a shoebox. All the drawings I was given during the statue unveiling were in there. Carrying it back to the couch, I scatter them on the cushions as I sit on the floor, looking them over with a light smile. Having a fanclub was something I never could have imagined, but the crayon drawings were proof that at least some people liked me.

My smile falls. What would they think about me quitting? Would they end up hating me? Maybe even call me a coward? I groan as I run a hand through my hair. Truthfully I didn’t want to stop being Lapin Blanc. It was fun and amazing and I was actually doing good, helping people and keeping Paris safe.

At least I thought I was.

Face planting into the couch cushion with a sigh, a mini war rages inside my mind. Just this morning I was so certain that I was done, but now...now I was starting to second guess everything.

Frustrated tears build in my eyes as I scrub them away roughly. I was tired of crying. All I wanted was to be happy.

_But why was it starting to feel like that was impossible if I couldn’t be Lapin Blanc?_

Painfully pinching my cheek, I turn away from the drawings and face the TV, intent to distract myself from the turbulent feelings swirling inside me. Turning it up as the news starts to play, my eyes widen as a book flashes past the news anchor and causes her to disappear. Watching as the camera is turned towards the newest Akumatized villain, he begins to speak.

“Since the book that my life is gone, I’m going to use your life to fill up this new one!”

The screen goes black as he swings his book and I almost jump up, before reminding myself that I would just get in Ladybug’s and Chat’s way. Turning the channel as I bite the inside of my cheek, I pause on the mayor just before he too disappears in a swirl of black.

Just turning the TV off, I tap my finger against the floor and glance outside nervously. That villain looked awfully familiar, and something about him talking about a book tickled the back of my brain…

_Where did I…_

“Adrien!” I shoot up, finally connecting the dots.

“What?” questions Blann, coming out from hiding.

“I think Adrien’s dad was the person akumatized!” I explain quickly, pacing the floor as I struggle with what to do. I didn’t want to run into Ladybug and Chat, but failing once again in protecting the blonde wasn’t something I wanted to do.

With a sparing glance out the glass door, the sight of the Agreste mansion quickly makes up my mind. “Blann,” I look at the rabbit Kwami as he perks up, “ears up.”

Not wasting any time, I rush out of my room and leap across the street, landing on the fence and spotting an open window leading to Adrien’s room. When I slip inside, my worry grows at the sight of the empty room. Calling out for the blonde, I peak in the bathroom only to find it empty as well.

I wanted to hit myself, settling on smacking my head against the wall. I was too late.

Muffled voices outside the room suddenly catch my attention. Pressing my ear against the bedroom door, the distinct voice of The Collector almost makes me gasp. So he was here? Pressing closer, I pick up two familiar voices as well, my stomach clenching uncomfortably. So were Ladybug and Chat Noir by the sound of it.

Before I could decide on what to do, the sound of a fight makes me fling open the door. Spotting Ladybug throwing Chat on the ground as the book flies over them, I don’t waste another moment and leap on the villain’s back with a yell.

“Lapin?!” two surprised voices call, and I don’t have time to respond before The Collector slams his back against the wall.

Crumpling to the ground, I need a moment to catch my breath, shoulder aching from the hit.

The Collector raises his book, pages aimed at me before a yoyo wraps around his wrist. Pulling him backwards, he turns a fierce look at Ladybug at the bottom of the stairs. “None of you will be able to escape!” he shouts, throwing the book towards her and Chat.

As they avoid it, he rushes at them and grabs Chat’s staff, using it to flip over him.

Hopping back up, I take out my tonfas and slide down the banister. Leaping over The Collector as he catches his book, I manage to jab his back and mess up his throw. It does little to stop it though, the book following after Chat and Ladybug as they leap up to the second floor.

Quickly throwing my tonfa as he jumps up to catch the boomeranging book, he turns just in time to absorb the weapon in the pages. Blood boiling at his mocking grin, I duck under the flying book before launching myself at him. Almost taking out one of his legs, he darts out of the way and recatches his book.

With another throw he jumps over Ladybug as she swings towards him, dodging Chat as well as he lands.

“Lapin!” Ladybug shouts, signaling for me to follow her as they head into the dining room.

Reaching the other door, Chat throws his staff at The Collector only for it to get absorbed in the pages.

“Another nice piece, wouldn’t you agree?” he says before throwing his book at us.

Thinking fast, Chat throws a chair at him as we rush out the door and back into the entryway. Hiding behind the stairs, I make eye contact with familiar cat-like green eyes as Ladybug says, “The akuma’s gotta be in that book!”

Chat, almost reluctantly, looks away from me. “Yeah, but if we touch it, we’ll disappear!”

In response, Ladybug takes out her yoyo and summons her Lucky Charm.

“A pedal?” she looks over the item with furrowed brows before glancing around, to no avail. “I have no idea what to do with this...we need to stall him.”

Just as she finishes speaking, the stairs disappear behind us and expose our hiding spot to The Collector.

“The three of you shall be the masterpieces in my new book of inspiration!” he gloats, throwing the book at us once again.

We all scatter in different directions, me charging at him with a glare. I was getting real tired of that stupid book. Down to one tonfa, I flip it to give me more reach before swinging at him. Like expected, he moves out of the way. Forcing him towards Chat, the blonde tries to grab the book while avoiding the open pages.

As he’s driven back into the wall, my heart leaps in my chest as The Collector charges after him with his open book. Without thinking I throw myself in front of Chat, arms spread wide to protect him. Holding my breath, I prepare for the worst before Ladybug’s yoyo wraps around his arm, yanking him back and away from us.

With The Collector focusing on her now, I allow myself a sigh of relief before charging at him once again. The three of us trade blows with him, much more cautious because of the book, until Chat manages to kick it out of his hands.

He immediately kicks Chat out of the way and elbows me in the face before jumping after it. Before he can reach it, he comes crashing down as Ladybug’s yoyo wraps around his ankle.

Seeing my opportunity, I quickly reach for the discarded book, fingers just brushing the cover as it glides back into The Collector’s hands.

Sweeping the page across the yoyo still around his leg, it disappears as Ladybug’s stumbles back. “My collection’s growing!” he gloats, showing the yoyo on the page before throwing it at her.

Leaping over it, she lands in front of Chat and I before we all jump up to the second floor.

Peeking over the railing, I take a deep breath before starting to stand. “I’ll keep him distracted—” I’m suddenly yanked back down by Ladybug of all people, who looks at me pleadingly.

“Stay with us,” she says, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was worried I’d disappear.

Even after everything that happened, I’m still unable to deny her. A little frustrated with myself, I sit on my heels and sigh sharply. “The Collector is Mr. Agreste, so the Akuma’s probably in that book,” I say, though I doubt they didn’t already know.

Chat seems to have a revelation. “So since he’s been akumatized, that must mean Gabriel Agreste can’t possibly be Hawk Moth.”

“You call Agreste turning into The Collector good news?” Ladybug counters, exasperated.

I would've agreed, but the knowledge that I was so readily left out of the loop stung. They thought Mr. Agreste could be Hawk Moth? And I wasn’t told? I didn’t have time to dwell on the revelation, the railing disappearing.

Rushing into Adrien’s room, we start stacking furniture against the door to buy us a little time.

“Gabriel Agreste’s son isn’t at home?” Ladybug asks, glancing around the empty room.

“Maybe The Collector’s already captured him,” Chat replies quickly.

I cross my arms, frustration making me groan. “I should’ve stayed longer.”

“You were here earlier, Lapin Blanc?” Ladybug asks with wide eyes.

I tense, narrowing my eyes at her. “Before you blame me for him disappearing,” I hate that I still feel guilty when she winces, “I heard about the whole book thing and wanted to make sure the kid was okay.”

“Lapin, I…”

Before she could continue, The Collector shouts through the open door, “You cannot escape from me!” Absorbing the furniture in his book, Ladybug suddenly has an idea.

“What if he has no pages left in his book?”

The Collector dissolves the last of the objects and charges at Chat, who leaps up above the door. With Ladybug hiding behind the TV, I jump up to the second floor.

Noticing her hiding, The Collector makes his way towards Ladybug. “Before I immortalise you, allow me to seize your Miraculous for Hawk Moth!”

I almost leap at him, the only thing stopping me from jumping off the railing then and there was Chat holding me back by the loops of my belts. I only stop my flailing when Ladybug yells at us for ammunition.

“You need... _what?_ ” Chat questions, finally letting me go when he sees I’m calmed down.

“We’re gonna complete his collection!” she yells, running towards Adrien’s bed before throwing a trophy at the bookshelf behind us.

I finally understand what she wanted as CD’s fall from the shelves. A complement almost slips past my lips, alongside Chat’s, but I quickly bottle it up. Just because I was helping now didn’t change anything.

Ladybug shouting at Chat for “less talking, more doing” puts me back into action as she leaps up to the second floor and grabs Chat’s belt. Now with The Collector focused on us, I use my last tonfa to block the book from touching us before Chat flings him towards the rock wall.

As he activates his Cataclysm I step back and watch him run along the bookshelves, dissolving the wood and causing all the CD’s to fall to the ground.

“Ready, you two?” Ladybug asks, her makeshift launcher made out of the foosball table ready to go.

Giving the affirmative alongside Chat, I activate my Speed Boost and quickly start throwing the CD’s down to Ladybug. The pile quickly shrinks as The Collector still advances towards her, absorbing the flying objects with a smirk.

The last CD is tossed down, Chat and I looking at each other worriedly. What now?

The Collector easily makes the foosball table disappear before quickly shoving the opened book at Ladybug’s face. With my breath catching in my throat, I almost collapse in relief when she doesn’t disappear.

Not wasting any time, she kicks the book in the air and Chat jumps for it. As he catches it The Collector rushes at him with a shout. Quickly leaping over the railing, I charge at the villain’s back, tackling him roughly and trapping him beneath me with a satisfied grin.

Getting the book, Ladybug tears it in half before the familiar horde of butterflies sweep through the room. Smiling happily as my tonfas appear back in my hands, I hear ladybug purifying the Akuma and get off of the older man as he transforms back.

Instead of fist bumping Ladybug, Chat immediately rushes over to check on the confused adult. “Are you okay, sir?” he asks worriedly.

Knowing it was the perfect time to slip away, I find myself sticking around for a few moments. Keeping a sharp gaze on Mr. Agreste, I don’t bother paying attention to what they were saying. I still didn’t trust him.

My suspicion only grows at his over the top search for Adrien, something not sitting right with how he was acting. Watching him for a moment longer, I finally decide to slip out. Looking back at Ladybug and Chat once more as I get ready to leap out of the window, a sort of sad nostalgia hits me.

“Goodbye,” I say quietly, smiling sadly before leaving.

Not bad for the last appearance of Lapin Blanc…


	2. Prime Queen

Wiping the condensation off the bathroom mirror, I stare at my reflection unhappily.

_ Two weeks. _

Two full weeks of not being Lapin Blanc--not  _ seeing Chat _ \--and I looked like a wreck. The dark circles under my eyes from sleepless nights of worrying hideously obvious. It was bad enough, that Aunt Claire and Madeleine seemed to always be a step away, the two no doubt thinking I was suffering another heartbreak. 

But I was determined to get over it. Ladybug and Chat thought so lowly of me, then I didn’t want to be around them. Leaning away from the sink with a sigh, I start drying my hair with my towel. Who was I kidding? I missed Ladybug and Chat.  _ A lot. _

It was almost pathetic. 

Blann, most likely sensing my mood, flies from the towel rack and sits on my shoulder. “You okay?” he asks.

As his eyes meet mine in the mirror I quickly look away. I don’t bother answering because we both knew the truth. 

He sighs lightly, moving to nuzzle my cheek reassuringly. “No matter what, I still love you, okay?”

My chest tightens and I blink away the tears building in my eyes. I wasn’t going to cry now, not after all the gross sobbing I knew I’d do when I was finally alone with my thoughts at night. So, taking a deep breath, I let the Kwami keep hold of me as I quickly finish drying off and get dressed.

Putting on a clean pair of pajama pants and a random shirt, I nearly shout in surprise when I open the door to an excited Madeleine. 

She quickly motions for me to lean down with a large smile. Looking at her suspiciously, I eventually give in when she urges me again impatiently. 

“Here!” she says, slipping a headband on my head.

Standing back up, I reach for the top of my head, touching what feels like cat ears. 

Noticing my confusion, she giggles. “They’re cat ears like Chat’s! You said he was your favorite so mom helped me make them!”

Just hearing his name makes me wince, though I quickly cover it with a smile. Even though it was a cruel reminder of everything, it was still thoughtful. “What’s the special occasion?” I ask, feeling the surprisingly soft fabric of the ears.

She gives me an exasperated look. “The  _ Heroes of Paris _ interview is tonight!”

_ Ah _ . I nod, remembering seeing something about it a few days ago on the news. A small part of me was curious to how they were doing without me around, but a bigger part of me was scared to hear the answer. 

“Mom said we could stay up to watch it!” she says happily. “We’ll have  _ the best _ time. It’ll be like a sleep over!”

I smile at her enthusiasm, but want nothing more than to avoid the whole thing. Seeing them unaffected by my absence would definitely make me cry. “Maddie, I--”

“Oh! I also made a Lapin Blanc headband!” She grins as shows off a headband with rabbit ears before putting it on. “We can be the dynamic duo! Helping Ladybug save the day!” 

Despite my mood, I can’t help but chuckle as she throws up a fist in the air with an enthusiastic shout. 

“Come on, we still have to make popcorn!” she says, turning and marching towards the stairs.

I hesitate, wringing my hands as I stare at the back of her head. Just thinking about them left a sour taste in my mouth, so how was I supposed to feel actually seeing them? 

“Hurry up, slowpoke,” Madeleine says, waving at me from the stairs with a large grin.

I sigh, already knowing I couldn’t say no. Guess we were going to find out.

Following her downstairs and into the kitchen, she quickly gets to work making the popcorn. “I can’t wait,” she sings, bouncing around while clapping happily. 

Watching her continue to dance around the kitchen, I lean against the island counter with a quiet laugh. At least one of us would be having a fun time. Glancing over at the living room area, the amount of pillows and blankets laid out on the floor has me amazed. 

“I wasn’t sure if you liked blanket forts or not, so I just layed everything down,” Madeleine says shyly, noticing where I was staring.

Looking over at her, I furrow my brows. “A blanket fort?” 

She nods. “Me and my friends always make one when we have a sleepover.”

“That sounds fun,” I say with a smile. 

“Yep! We also played games and told scary stories,” she giggles, before asking, “What did you do at sleepovers?”

I take a moment to think before shrugging. “I’ve never been to a sleepover before.”

Her eyes widen as she gasps. “Not even one?”

I shake my head, feeling a little self-conscious.

“Then we  _ have _ to build a blanket fort!” she says, excitement gleaming in her eyes. Quickly starting to drag over one of the kitchen chairs towards the living room, she tells me to do the same with a large smile.

Moving the coffee table out of the way, I help her set everything up until we have our own makeshift fort. Stepping back for a better view, Madeleine giggles excitedly and holds out her hand for a high five. “This is awesome!”

Just now realizing that I didn’t have my gloves, them still upstairs in my room, I hesitate for a moment. Dr. Beaumont said to push myself when it came to physical contact…

Swallowing any trepidation, I take a steadying breath before shakily tapping the palm of my hand against hers. With only a small jolt of panic as I pull away, her grinning face as she starts hyping up the blanket fort has me letting out a shaky laugh. She didn’t know just how much she kept me from panicking. I let out a huff as I smile to myself. First positive thing that’s happened all month.

_ Just wait until I tell Dr. Beaumont. _

“The popcorn’s a little cold,” Madeleine sighs, placing the bowl of popcorn at the entrance of the fort with a pout. “But! The interview is gonna start any minute, so come in and get comfy!” She pats the pile of blankets beside her with a large grin.

Ducking under the roof, I sit cross-legged and lean against the couch. As soon as I get comfortable a soft stuffed animal is handed to me. Looking it over, I grin at the way it looked like a cylinder with a face and tiny legs. “Is this yours?” I ask Madeleine, stroking the smooth fur on the dog.

She nods, sitting next to me with her legs stretched out. “His name’s Mr. Puddles, he’s a Shiba Inu. Daddy got it for me so that whenever I got sad, I could hug it and think of him. ”

My heart clenches as I look over at the small girl. Sometimes it was easy to forget she was going through her own stuff. “Is it alright for me to have this?” I question softly, a lot more careful with handling the stuffed animal this time.

“I think…” she glances at me as she picks at the blanket, suddenly shy. “I think he’d want you to have it right now.”

My eyes widen in surprise. The cat headband, the blanket fort, her favorite stuffed animal...Was all of this her attempt at cheering me up? I almost choke on a lump in my throat, blinking away tears as a warm feeling flutters in my chest. Was I really lucky enough to have a family that cared enough to do all that? Just because I was being extra moody the last two weeks?

“Thanks, Maddie,” I say with a soft smile. She really was too sweet.

She beems up at me before squeezing her other stuffed animal, a seal, with a giggle. 

“Oh, look, it’s starting!” she says, excited as she points at the TV.

After a brief tune, the interviewer begins her introduction. “Good evening. I’m Nadia Chamack and this is Face-to-Face. For our first edition, I welcome the beloved guardians of Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir.” The camera switches to the other couch. “Hello! Thanks so much for accepting this exclusive live interview!”

“Well thank you, Nadia. We’re honored to be here,” Ladybug says pleasantly.

“And hello to all my fans.” Chat blows a kiss to the camera and winks.

I hate the way my heart skips.

“I’m sure thousands have turned in to watch you tonight,” Nadia says.

“Don’t encourage him or the cat won’t stop purring all night,” Ladybug says, rolling her eyes with a smile.

Chat waves it off. “Don’t listen to her. Bugaboo’s just a spot jealous.”

“Hey! I thought we agreed on no more Bugaboo-calling,  _ Pussycat, _ ” Ladybug jokes with a flick of his bell.

“But it’s so cute!” 

Wanting to groan, my face probably betrays my feelings as I try to block out their flirting. Just as bad as when I was around.

Nadia laughs. “It’s obvious you two are very close.”

“Not as close as Lapin and Chat, I’m afraid,” Ladybug giggles, and for a moment I forget to breathe. Why was she bringing me up? “they act like bickering brothers all the time.”

“Pardon me for asking, but where  _ is _ Lapin Blanc?” the interviewer asks, something telling me she was waiting for some juicy gossip.

“He’s, uh, incredibly busy and couldn’t make it.” Ladybug smiles, though it  _ really _ wasn’t that believable. 

“He should hurry up and come back,” Chat says as he looks straight into the camera, and for a moment it feels like he could somehow see me through the lens.

The reporter looks back down at her tablet before clearing her throat. “Now, people know you, but they don’t  _ really  _ know you. We see you saving Paris, but don’t know anything else about you.” 

I bite my tongue, leaning forward. What else did they need to know?

“We won’t be keeping anything from you tonight, Nadia,” Chat says, and I can already see where it could go wrong.

Ladybug, like usual, is more sensible, saying, “Well, we do have to keep a few secrets, including our identities, of course.”

“Absolutely!” Nadia agrees. “How about we start off with questions from your biggest fans?” She motions to the screen, a  _ very  _ familiar face appearing. “Hello, caller, state your name and your question.”

_ Of course it’d be Chloe, why wouldn’t it? _

The blonde makes a face of disgust. “Seriously, Nadia? Surely no one else would be the first caller but me! I’m only the most prestigious fan of Ladybug!” 

I don’t bother holding in a groan, leaning back as I grab a handful of popcorn.

“You don’t like her?” Madeleine asks, glancing away from the TV to look at me curiously.

I glare at the TV as Chloe continues to speak. “More like I can’t stand her,” I grumble, it almost being a relief when Nadia quickly cuts the call and brings up the next caller.

“Hi, guys!” Alya’s face pops up on the screen. “I’m Alya and I'm wondering if you’d grant me an interview for the Ladyblog. You know, since I have  _ way  _ more viewers than Nadia. What do you say?”

“Uh...yeah, sure, Alya. I’d love to do that,” Ladybug answers, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. 

“That totally rocks!” she celebrates. “You’ll have to make Lapin Blanc come too!”

I look away from the TV guiltily. If only she knew. 

“I’m on TV? Mommy!” a new voice shouts, and I look back to see a young girl in the corner of the screen.

This seems to surprise the reporter. “Manon? But where’s Marinette?”

As the girl explains that she had to talk to her parents, Alya backs her up before the call is ended.

“Let’s take one more caller…” the reporter laughs nervously pulling up a new video.

“Hello, Ladybug! Chat Noir!” A  _ very _ familiar redhead greets with a grin.

My eyes widen as I quickly look beside me and then back at the screen, now just noticing the phone in my cousin’s hands.  _ Please tell me I’m seeing things… _

“I’m Madeleine and this--” she turns the phone towards me as my alarmed face appears on the screen at the studio--“is my cousin, Evan! He’s Chat Noir’s number one fan!”

My face reddens as I lunge for the phone, a curse on the tip of my tongue as she squirms away. “Madeleine!” I hiss through my teeth, foot tangling in the blankets as I scramble after her.

“Well, Evan has good taste then,” says Chat, making my traitorous heart flutter, much to my annoyance.

Managing to grab the phone out of her hands, I hastily apologize before ending the call. 

“Never thought I’d see him so flustered.” Chat snickers. “How cute.”

Madeleine gasps. “Chat Noir just called you cute!” she says, excitedly jumping up and down.

My face starts burning as I stare at the TV.  _ Cute? _ Me? Sinking to the floor, I cover my face to hide my embarrassment. 

“Ladybug, Chat Noir…” the reporter trails off, and I peak at the screen through my fingers. “Um, so, a lot of fans think of you as a couple of superheroes, but also, and I quote, as a “couple”, period.”

That instantly sobers me up. Though my face is still a little warm as I sit back under the blanket fort.

“Quite a few people feel that you, Ladybug, and Chat Noir are dating, can you confirm it here tonight?” the reporter asks as Madeleine plops down beside me with a cheeky grin.

Ladybug stumbles over a response as Nadia turns her eyes towards Chat.

_ Please don’t make it worse, Chat. _

“Now, Chat Noir, there’s even a few rumors that you and Lapin Blanc are in a secret relationship. Any truth to such speculation?”

Ice floods through my veins as my stomach drops, noticing Chat’s equally shocked expression. Where did I go wrong? Was I too obvious? Oh god, did I make Chat uncomfortable with my gawking and that was why he didn’t stick up for me when I fought with Ladybug?

“Sorry to disappoint, but Lapin’s more of a brother to me than anything else,” he deflects casually, though the twitch of his cat ears show how frazzled the question left him. 

I almost shudder in relief when the interviewer doesn’t push for more. I couldn’t handle Chat saying he hated me straight out.

“Then, Ladybug--” the camera pans to a nervous Ladybug-- “what about you and Lapin Blanc? You two seem quite close as well.”

I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to throw a handful of popcorn at the TV. Even if they didn’t like me, I still didn’t want to see them uncomfortable. Least of all because of some reporter who was probably just asking all of those questions to drum up controversy. 

Ladybug finally speaks up. “I’m very sorry, Nadia, but we’re superheroes. We’re not here to answer such personal questions. 

“ _ Meow! _ M’ladybug’s growing claws,” Chat says with a grin, crossing his arms as he sits up.

Once again, Chat wasn’t helping anything. 

“We’re here to assure all Parisians that they’re safe, and that it’s only a matter of time before we defeat Hawk Moth,” Ladybug says. “That’s all.”

My eyes narrow at the brief look of panic that passes the reporter’s face before she says, “How do you explain these photographs, then?” 

The picture that appears on the screen makes me look away, chest stinging.

“What? When did that happen?” Chat exclaims, staring at the photo of him and Ladybug kissing.

“I was saving you, not kissing you!” she says loudly.

“It’s when you were being controlled by Dark Cupid,” I mumble to myself, bringing my knees up and wrapping my arms around my legs.

The reporter switches to the next photo, Chat and Ladybug hugging on a lamppost. Then the next, Ladybug scratching his chin. Then another before finally ending on Chat laying on top of her.

Against my wishes my chest aches painfully. Maybe watching this was a bad idea after all...

“It’s so obvious you’re both in love!” Nadia says urgently. “Or how about Lapin Blanc and Chat Noir?”

My mouth dries as a new picture appears on the screen, seriously wanting to cry at the sight.

The first picture, taken from someone’s window all the way back when Aunt Claire was akumatized, showed Chat collapsed against me just after we woke up. The next one, taken even further back, showed the two of us fooling around with stupid grins during the statue unveiling. They even managed to get a picture of me glued to his back with my face buried in his hair after the Reflekta fight. Another picture of me smiling at Chat flashes before the humiliating torture finally ends, screen lingering on an innocent picture of me whispering something in Chat’s ear.

Nadia raises her brows. “So? What do you have to say for yourselves?”

My fingers dig into my legs painfully as I stare at the TV, lost. To me it was embarrassingly obvious that I liked Chat. That stupid grin was a dead giveaway. A horrifying thought suddenly passes through my head.  _ Was I about to be outed on live TV, in front of thousands? No chance to deflect or deny the invasive question? _

“Even you, Ladybug, have quite a few--”

“These are just a bunch of photos taken out of context!” Ladybug cuts her off as she stands, and I let out a relieved breath. “We were only doing our job. We save the city together every day! None of us are a couple!”

“But, hopefully one day…”

I shake my head.  _ Come on, Chat.... _

“Why won’t any of you tell the truth?” Nadia asks accusingly as she also stands.

“But it is the truth, Nadia!” Ladybug shoots back.

The woman looks nervous. “Come on, the audience awaits your answer.”

“This interview is so over,” Ladybug says before grabbing Chat by the arm. 

“Whoa! What’s the rush?” he asks, refusing to budge. 

“Uh...there’s an alert. Paris needs us right now!” she successfully yanks Chat to his feet.

With Chat apologizing as he’s pulled offstage, the reporter shouts after them. “Hey! Wait you two! The show isn’t over yet! Your fans will be disappointed if they don’t get an answer!” 

The camera pans over to Ladybug as she opens the door. “If they’re our true fans, they’ll understand.”

“The lady’s right,” Chat says, bowing just before the door closes. 

Madeleine and I share a look as the channel switches to a commercial, shocked that the interview went south so quickly.

“Wow, that reporter lady did a really bad job asking questions,” Madeleine grumbles as she turns the channel with a frown. 

I nod in agreement, leaning back and hugging the Shiba Inu plushie. “Even Chat Noir was a little put off by her questions.”

She turns towards me with a curious look. “Really? He looked fine to me.”

“His ears sometimes twitch when he’s annoyed,” I explain, pointing to the cat ears on top of my head. “Even then, it can be hard to know when he’s really upset since he’s a pro at smiling.” I sigh, leaning more into the pillows behind me. I used to think I was one of the few people that had a decent grasp on his feelings, but now...I wasn’t so sure anymore. 

“Do you think any of them are actually dating?” Madeleine asks, letting out a small yawn.

The question makes me wince. “I don’t think so.” At least not when I was still around.

She hums tiredly. “I guess it’s a good thing Lapin Blanc wasn’t there.”

I blink in confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Everyone knows he’s not good in front of cameras,” she giggles before letting out another yawn. 

_ Oh boy, it was that obvious, huh? _

Looking down at her, I notice her struggling to keep her eyes open as she snuggles her stuffed animal. Laughing quietly, I gently ruffle her hair before focusing back on the game show now on the TV. 

A few moments pass before she’s fully asleep, grumbling something in her sleep that makes no sense.

“How cute,” Blann whispers, peeking out from under the pile of pillows to look at her.

I chuckle, placing Mr. Puddles between the two of us as I lay down.  _ I hope he didn’t mind being shared _ .

Making sure to hug my cheek, the Kwami slips back under the pillows while whispering a soft  _ “Good night” _ .

Closing my eyes with a yawn, It’s the first time in almost two weeks that I don’t cry myself to sleep.

\------

“Evan! You need to wake up!”

Groaning, I turn away from the noise and bury my face in the pillow. 

“You need to look at the TV,” the voice whispers loudly, resorting to pulling my hair.

Opening my eyes with a grunt, I blink hazily as I lift myself up on my elbows. “Wha--What’s the problem…?” I breathe out, having trouble focusing on a frazzled Blann as he points behind me.

“ _ Look! _ ”

I follow his gaze with a tired sigh. What was so important that he had to disturb the first restful sleep I’ve had in awhile?

My eyes widen as a hand starts reaching through the TV. Shaking Madeleine awake as Blann hides in my pocket, she blinks groggily, unaware of the danger we were in. 

“So, you’re Chat Noir’s number one fan are you?” the intruder asks, voice staticy as she smirks down at me.

_ I know her. _ I narrow my eyes at the akumatized woman. “What do you want?” I demand, glancing at a confused and frightened Madeleine as I move her behind me. 

“You’re about to help me get the scoop of a lifetime,” she says, pulling a rope from behind her back with a smirk. 

My eyes widen in recognition. “You’re that reporter lady from earlier!” 

“Call me Prime Queen!” she says with a laugh. “And you’re Chat Noir’s number one fan.” 

My ears warm but I can’t afford to let myself be embarrassed now. “A bit exaggerated, but I don’t see why you need somebody like me,” I say, trying to keep her distracted as I reach for one of the pillows behind me.

“No time for chit-chat.” She pulls the rope taught. “How about we find out how much being his fan really means to him, hm?”

I tense, ready to bolt as she reaches for us. Quickly ripping the pillow from behind me and throwing it at her face, the split second of shock that I see is more than satisfying. Though I don’t have long to admire it, jumping up and running for the door with a tight grip on Madeleine’s arm.

My shout for Aunt Claire is cut off roughly as a rope wraps around me, yanking me backwards. “Run, Maddie!” I yell, struggling to break free. 

Then the last thing I see before disappearing into the TV is Madeleine’s tearstained face, arm reaching for me uselessly. 

Before I could even gather my bearings, I find myself strung up by my arms, dangling over a turned off TV. My breath catches in my throat and I have to close my eyes and calm myself down before finally looking around.

_ The museum? _ I glance around the room, over two dozen TV’s showing different locations around Paris. Across from me sat a suspiciously placed sarcophagus, Prime Queen stopping next to it. 

“My dear viewers, you’re in for the reveal of a lifetime!” she says, laughing evilly before opening the sarcophagus.

My stomach drops at the sight of a bound Alya, who makes eye contact with me from across the room, eyes panicked. “Ladybug! Help me, please!”

Prime Queen shuts the lid, making my blood boil. “Oh, wait! Isn’t this the girl who started the famous Ladyblog?” she asks, leaning against the sarcophagus. “The first one who ever filmed Ladybug?”

I grit my teeth, kicking my legs with a sneer. “Let her go!” 

“Oh, look!” She turns the TV to face me. “Chat Noir’s number one fan is here as well! Don’t you feel honored, Chat Noir?”

I almost see red, it taking every bit of self-control to keep my mouth shut. How dare she use me as bait! Scaring my little cousin bad enough to make her cry!

“Looks like he doesn’t have anything to say, too bad,” Prime Queen sighs, turning the TV back around. “For your next trial, your Miraculous! Or else your two biggest fans will be no more!” She cackles, switching to another TV with yet another evil laugh.

The large TV on the wall shows Chat and Ladybug, stuck in what looks like the hotel freezer. 

I don’t listen to what they say, too focused on trying to find a way out and getting to Alya. Though my attention is quickly switched back to the TV when Chat speaks.

“So, a kiss then?”

I watch in horror as he leans in, my pathetic heart stinging, acting like it wasn’t already stomped on over two weeks ago. 

“Still not a chance, Chat Noir,” Ladybug states, stone-faced even though he was so close. 

Despite myself, I sigh in relief. At least some things never change. 

“The time has come to push those ratings sky high! So let’s try this again,” Prime Queen says. Remove your Miraculous’ and reveal your true selves. The whole world is watching you!” She then picks the sarcophagus up off the ground and places it on the table. “There’s no use looking for a way out...unless you want to see your two fans in deep water!”

With a snap of her finger, the TV under me turns on. And I  _ really  _ didn’t like what I saw. Dark water, most likely the Seine river, was barely visible on the screen, making me shudder. The sound of a match being struck has me whipping my head up, the sight of a lit candle being placed under the rope making me forget how to breathe. 

“Your little fanboy here has about 5 minutes before the rope burns through completely,” she states, a calm indifference about her as she pushes the Sarcophagus towards the TV with her foot. “But your fangirl here...well, I’d hurry up if I were you two. Don’t want to keep your audience waiting!” With that she pushes the sarcophagus once more, this time some of it disappearing into the TV

I start struggling again, kicking wildly as frustrated tears build in my eyes. Why haven’t they figured something out already?! Alya was going to fall in the water and drown in that stupid sarcophagus! My flailing lessens some as I watch Ladybug summon her Lucky Charm. Despite everything she said, I could still trust her to have a plan to save the day.

“Hurry! Evan’s time’s running out and she’s about to push Alya in!” Chat urges, and I notice him shivering.

“One minute!” Ladybug yells, searching hastily through different containers on the shelves. 

“That’s too long!” Chat yells, and I agree with him wholeheartedly.

“Listen to the cat,” Prime Queen warns, shoving the sarcophagus forward once again.

My heart catches in my throat, this time really thrashing around, begging the ropes around my wrists to loosen even a little. 

“What’s happening?” questions Prime Queen, and I realize I’ve closed my eyes.

Looking up at the huge TV, a black screen is the only thing that greets me. Even the other TV’s that were streaming the inside of the freezer were blacked out as well. 

“Fine. You win, Prime Queen. We’ll remove our Miraculous.” Ladybug says, and I freeze. “THe whole world will see us without our masks!”

“ _ And _ we're about to kiss!” Chat adds. “Shame you’re missing it!”

I refuse to acknowledge his words, instead focusing more energy on trying to break free. 

Prime Queen glances at her armband before preparing to punch through whatever was blocking the screen. “If you’re lying, you’re going to regret it!” 

As soon as her arm goes through the TV, she’s quickly pulled in as the screen is broken from their side. 

Now alone, I struggle for another moment before giving up. Breathing heavily from the exertion, I completely forget about the Kwami hiding in my pajamas pocket.

“I’ll get you free, Evan!” Blann squeaks, now able to come out of hiding. As he zips around the room, looking for the power outlet, the sound of the rope starting to break almost makes my heart stop.

Stilling, I hold my breath, somehow hoping that maybe it would keep me from falling. “Blann…” I breathe out quietly, trying not to press my luck.

“I’m looking!” he squeaks, panic obvious in the way his voice cracks. He then gasps. “I found the outlet!” he says happily, and I let out a relieved sigh. 

Then the rope snaps.

Time seems to slow, a feeling of weightlessness flowing through me for the briefest moment. Then, all at once, a terrified scream echoing around the museum brings me back. My stomach shoots to my throat as I fall, and despite my panic, I can only wonder if it was me or Blann that screamed.

The whole museum is suddenly thrown into darkness, the TV shattering as I land on top of it.

“Are you okay?” Blann asks worriedly.

My side hurt but at least I was alive. “I’m so glad I have you around, Blann,” I say, meaning every single word as I roll off the TV and onto my back with a groan. Sitting up, I begin working on freeing my wrists, Blann hovering worriedly beside me.

It takes a few minutes, but I’m able to slip one hand out and then the other. Taking a moment to rub my stinging wrists, I head over towards the precariously perched sarcophagus. Knocking on the lid, I hear Alya’s muffled voice inside. “I’m going to drag you back, okay?” I say loudly, hearing a muffled response I can only think is an _ okay _ .

Grabbing the end of the coffin, I brace myself as I slowly pull it out of the TV. Inch by inch it moves, my worries about it falling lessening with every tug. 

Finally, out of breath and back aching, I manage to get the whole thing free. Moments like these are when I  _ really _ missed being Lapin. The extra strength was really taken for granted. With Blann hiding back in my pocket, I open the lip and look over Alya worriedly.

“My hero,” she coos teasingly, still tied up but no worse for wear. 

As I start untying her, a swarm of familiar ladybug’s sweep over us and I’m a little surprised when I’m back in Aunt Claire’s living room.

“Evan!” two voices yell, Aunt Claire and Madeleine throwing themselves at me with tear-stained faces. 

“We were so scared when the broadcast went dark!” Aunt Claire cries, squeezing me tightly against her.

Madeleine tightens her grip on my waist, burying her head in my stomach. “When you disappeared into the TV I thought I was never going to see you again!”

My chest tightens as they both continue to cry. Carefully hugging them back, tears begin welling up in my eyes against my will and I tighten my hold. Truthfully, under all my anger and worry, I was terrified the whole time. If I didn’t have a Miraculous, if Blann wasn’t there, I would’ve fallen into the Seine river and drowned.

_ And that was a terrifying thought. _

Refusing to continue down that trail of thought, I turn my attention to Aunt Claire, who smiles softly as she pulls away.

“How about we stay up late watching movies? Sound good?” she asks, carefully wiping the tears from her eyes.

Madeleine perks up, sniffling loudly as she looks up at her mom. “For real?”

“ _ All _ night.” Aunt Claire grins.

“I’ll make more popcorn!”

As the young girl zips off to the kitchen, Aunt Claire’s gaze trails up to the top of my head before laughing.

“You still have your headband on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit, I really liked writing this one. Something about a fluffy sleepover just really hits me lol
> 
> [Evan and Madeleine's sleepover!](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/622661566316380160/i-just-had-to-draw-evan-and-madeleines-sleepover)


	3. Despair Bear

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Marinette’s father, Mr. Dupain, says to the class. “I always add cream to the chocolate to make the ganache extra velvety. Then I let it infuse for one minute.”

Watching him stir the batter, I almost drool. I still wasn’t lucky enough to taste any of the desserts at the bakery, but maybe after this I’d work up my nerve to go in.

_Wasn’t like I was busy anymore, anyway…_

I grimace, quickly shaking my head. There were more important things to focus on now. Like imagining how the macaroons would taste. But then Chloe scoffs from behind me, halting any attempts at raising my mood.

“Do they seriously think I’m going to get my hands dirty cooking, like some maid?”

I sigh, trying my best to block her out.

“If I want a croissant, I just make my butler get it for me!”

I almost bite out a remark, but manage to catch myself at the last minute. If I got into a fight with her, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to stay calm.

“It’s all done with a flick of the wrist.” Mr. Dupain continues, and I focus back on him. “But don’t go too fast, or you might splash yourself.” He shows the class inside the bowl. “Look at this lovely emulsion.”

I had no idea what that meant, but I enjoy looking at it all the same.

“Now we need to chill it for half an hour. Marinette?” Mr. Dupain calls.

“Yes, dad?” Marinette says quickly.

“Could you put this in the school cafeteria fridge for me, please?” He hands her the bowl before looking around. “In the meantime, I’ll show your friends how to whip up egg whites.”

“Of course!”

As she leaves the classroom, I listen intently as Mr. Dupain begins to explain what you’d need. I was so focused on him I nearly jump out of my skin when the fire alarm goes off out of nowhere.

“Quickly students!” Mrs. Bustier holds open the door, Chloe the first one out. “Single-file line, please! Just keep moving.”

Following Adrien as the class heads down the stairs, Mr. Damocles is already waiting for everyone in the courtyard.

As the last class gathers, a firefighter says something to him that makes him frown. “So, some smart aleck had the bright idea of calling the fire department! Somebody here thought it would be funny to waste the fire captain’s valuable time!”

I can’t help but to glance back at Chloe. Call it intuition.

As the fire captain tries to leave, Mr. Damocles stops him. “Hold on! I want the guilty party to apologize to you!”

“I’m sure it was Chloe,” Marinette whispers to me and Alya. “I saw her on the phone right before the alarm went off.”

“You seeing her make a phone call isn’t solid proof,” Alya says.

“Yeah, but isn’t it a little too coincidental?” I question quietly, crossing my arms as Chloe calls for the principal.

“Yes, Miss Bourgeois?”

“I saw a student leaving the classroom right before the alarm went off. It must have been her.”

I stare at her with narrowed eyes.

“Really? Who was it?” Mr. Damocles demands.

“Let’s see if she’ll come clean…” Chloe turns her accusatory gaze to Marinette, “What do you say, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

Clenching my fists, I glare at the blonde, barely holding back from getting in her face. It was really obvious she did it now.

The principal crosses his arms. “Marinette, do you have something to tell the fire captain?”

Simmering in my anger, I almost say something but Adrien beats me to it. “Uh, wait!” he calls out. “Excuse me, sir, but it couldn’t possibly be Marinette. Why would she disrupt her own father’s cooking class?”

Alya raises her hand, adding, “And I know for a fact she didn’t even have her phone on her when she went out of the classroom!”

Mr. Damocles, once again, stops the fire captain from leaving. “Just a moment! We’re very close to figuring out the truth.”

Chloe says something about it not being her, but I can’t bring myself to listen to her voice for another moment. Instead, I focus on a frustrated Marinette.

“I’m not going to let her get away with this!” she whispers angrily. “I’ve gotta tell—”

“Hang on, Marinette,” Adrien interrupts, putting his hand on her shoulder as he whispers, “We don’t know for sure that it was her.”

“He’s right,” Alya agrees. “Let’s not stoop to her level.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, arms crossed in frustration. Once again it looked like Chloe was going to get off scot-free. Mark me surprised.

For the third time, Mr. Damocles stops the captain from leaving. “Fine! Since no one is owning up, the whole school will be punished!”

A few shocked gasps are heard as I groan, Chloe being the loudest.

“What? I’m not so sure my father—” Chloe flashes the screen of her phone dramatically—“will react kindly to me being punished without proof!”

The principal, like expected, quickly cowers to her will, begging her not to call the mayor before saying, “The whole school is punished except for Miss Bourgeois!”

I roll my eyes, what little, minuscule respect I had for him disappearing. I _hated_ people like him. Always bowing down to someone like Chloe just because of her father. Tuning out whatever else he says, I start wondering away as the class disperses.

Sticking around long enough to listen to the chore list, I quickly volunteer to mop the bathroom floor. It’d allow me some peace and quiet. Not to mention let Blann stretch out.

Taking the mop bucket out of the janitor's closet and into the boys restroom, I sigh tiredly before getting to work.

“It’s not fair,” Blann pouts, floating beside me with a frown. “Why should you be punished even though you're innocent?”

“Rather clean than be beat,” I answer with a halfhearted shrug. Cleaning was _nothing_ compared to what my mother used to do.

The Kwami struggles with his words. “Yeah...but...I just...don’t want to see you get in trouble for something you didn’t do.”

Glancing over at him, I smile slightly at his droopy ears. He really was upset for me. “It’s fine. I need something to distract me anyway.” I rub his head affectionately, smiling at him once more before continuing to mop.

As I work, Blann chatters about anything and everything under the sun, only stopping when I reach the door.

“Looks like we’re done,” I say, wiping the sweat from my forehead with a sigh.

“Does that mean we can go home?” Blann questions.

Stretching with a yawn, I rub my eyes. “I hope so. I really need a nap.”

Before Blann can respond, the bathroom door swings open, Adrien spotting me with a grin.

“Hey, Evan, I—!” he lets out a shout as his feet slip out from under him.

Panicking as he falls, I quickly reach out for him and manage to grab his arm. Thinking I caught him, my own feet slip on the wet floor and I let out my own yell as I fall after him. Quickly reaching forward, I barely have enough time to protect the back of his head before we hit the ground.

Landing on top of him, I can already feel my knees aching as I let out a small groan. Slipping my hand out from under Adrien’s head, I ignore the sting and prop myself up on my elbows with a sigh. “You okay, Adrien?”

“Yeah…” he groans, and I can feel his breath caressing my cheek.

Looking down at him worriedly, my eyes rake over his face for any signs of pain or injury. “You sure?”

As he opens his eyes, they meet mine and he noticeably tenses. “Uh, yeah, I’m positive,” he says, cheeks tinted pink as he lets out a nervous laugh.

“That’s great, I was worried for a moment,” I say, moving to get up with a relieved smile.

Getting up, my hands suddenly slip out from under me. Cracking my forehead against Adrien’s, I cradle my aching skull as we both groan in pain. Smacking the floor with my free hand as tears prickle the corner of my eyes, a familiar scent tickles my nose. It was hard to describe, the closest thing to being outside after a storm. Crisp and Clean. Though, oddly enough, he also sort of smelled like...cheese? Minus that, he smelled just like—

Freezing, I manage to hastily scramble off him, face and ears burning as I stand. “ _I’m really sorry but I’ve gotta go_ ,” I say quickly, apologizing once more before rushing out of the restroom like I was on fire.

My face burns, nearly making me lightheaded while I grab my things from my locker. I was probably wrong, too heartbroken to think right. I slam my locker closed, biting the inside of my cheek. But...

_He smelled just like Chat._

Shaking my head, I rush out of the locker room, intent on heading home and never revisiting this moment again. All it was was a slip of the mind. _Pathetic._

Just as I take a step down the outside stairs, a loud shout of my name makes me turn around.

“Hey!” Alya greets, Marinette beside her waving at me with a grin. “Are you doing anything today?”

I pause before shaking my head. “I’m just going home, I guess?”

“Great! Then you’re coming to Marinette’s with us.”

“Who’s _us_?” I question, feeling a little curious.

Marinette smiles. “Juleka, Rose, and Mylene are all coming over for a little fashion show!”

I scratch the side of my head. “I don’t know…”

“Look, we’re worried about you,” Alya states bluntly, surprising me. “The circles under your eyes are majorly obvious and you’re not as talkative as usual.”

I tense at her observation. Even though I tried to hide it, it was that obvious I was upset? Before I could even fumble up an excuse, Marinette speaks first.

“We don’t want to make you uncomfortable! We just want you to hang out with us and maybe have some fun! You can even take pictures! Not that we just want you there to take pictures…”

I can’t help but to chuckle quietly at her panicked rambling. While it was extremely embarrassing that it was so easy to see through me, knowing they cared felt a little nice. “Calm down, Marinette,” I laugh lightly, patting her head with a small smile. “I’d be happy to come over. I just have to go home first.”

Alya grins. “Then meet us at the bakery when you’re done.”

“I’ll let dad know that you’ll be coming,” Marinette adds with a bright smile.

Waving goodbye to them, I head down the rest of the stairs to the street and make my way home, no longer mopey like before.

Quickly reaching the flower shop, I enter through the alley and wait patiently for Aunt Claire to finish with her customer.

“Hey, sweetie. How was school?” she greets, spotting me as she turns around.

“Good,” I answer with a nod before tugging at my glove nervously. “My friends invited me to hang out with them and...and I wanted to know if I could go…”

“Of course!” she agrees, threading her fingers together with a happy look.

I smile, thanking her quickly before running upstairs to toss my school bag in my room.

“This sounds like fun,” Blann giggles, leaving my camera case to zip around my bedroom.

“I hope it is,” I say, throwing my messenger bag on the sofa at the end of my bed. Everyone that was going was nice at least, so maybe it wouldn’t be too bad?

The small Kwami giggles again before going back into the camera case around my neck.

Heading back down the stairs, I wave to Aunt Claire before leaving and heading towards Marinette’s house. Quickly reaching the bakery, I spot her mother and father inside and nervously open the door.

“H-Hello, I’m here to see Marinette…” I balk at my voice crack, trying my best to smile politely through the embarrassment.

“Then you must be Evan! It’s so nice to meet you,” Marinette’s mother says with a smile.

My face warms, flustered at the unexpectedly warm welcome.

“Come on, Evan, I’ll take you up to her room,” Mr. Dupain says, smile matching his wife’s.

Following after him as he leads me to the back and up the stairs, I’m reminded of the last time I was here, all the way back when Animan was akumatized. Reaching the ladder leading up to Marinette’s room, Mr. Dupain motions for me to head up. Quickly thanking him, I climb up, carefully opening the door hatch.

“I’m here…?” I trail off, immediately relaxing a little when I notice Alya and Marinette among the group.

“Hey, Evan!” Rose greets excitedly, the other greeting me as well.

Fully entering the room, I look around. Thankfully Marinette’s pictures of Adrien were seemingly put away. “Thanks for inviting me,” I say softly, trying to ignore the way my ears burn.

“Don’t sweat it, dude,” Alya grins, rapping her knuckle against my chest with a wink.

Rose can’t contain herself anymore, hopping up and down while giggling. “Oh, I’m so excited! I’ve never been part of a fashion show before!”

“I have some hats and stuff you guys can try,” says Marinette, setting down a boxful of different clothes.

“I can take pictures—if you want that is,” I correct quickly, not wanting anyone to feel uncomfortable.

“We didn’t invite you just to take pictures,” Marinette states, flailing around hastily.

Laughing at her panicked expression, I shake my head. “I _like_ taking pictures. So it’s no problem.”

“You sure?” Alya questions, grinning and grabbing a hat when I nod. “Woo! Looks like we get a professional photographer for our fashion show!”

“I’m not a professional,” I state, turning my camera on with a small laugh.

She shrugs, posing dramatically with Juleka by her side.

“I think it’s pretty cool that you work for someone as famous as Mr. Lacroix,” Mylene says, now wearing her own beach hat.

Snapping a few pictures of Alya and then Juleka, I turn the camera towards Rose. “He is pretty amazing to watch,” I sigh wistfully, before going back to taking more pictures of everyone else.

Finding myself laughing at some of their silly poses, the knot in my stomach lessens. Hanging out like this, just being a normal fourteen year old, was just like the sleepover with my cousin—nice and entertaining. Finishing the small photoshoot, Alya and Rose gather around me as I show them the different pictures.

“Ohhh, I really like this one,” Rose says, pointing to the picture of Juleka. “You look like a mysterious princess, Juleka!”

“We’ll have to download them onto Marinette’s computer before you leave,” Alya states as Marinette takes a necklace out of her jewelry box to show us.

“These are jewels I designed that you can customize yourself,” she explains, putting the necklace on Rose.

With the blonde gushing over them, I get her attention for one last photo, which she poses for happily.

Alya takes the camera from me with a wide grin and shows it to Marinette. “This one would make an awesome homepage image for your future blog, right?” Before she could answer, Alya’s phone goes off and she pulls it out of her pocket and looks at it confused. “Chloe?”

“What does that bratty snob want?” Marinette questions with a disgusted look.

“Chloe’s...inviting me to a party,” she answers, a little shocked.

The other girls’ phones go off, each of them getting their own invite.

“That’s so nice of Chloe!” Rose gushes.

I can’t bring myself to ruin the innocent girl’s parade.

“ _Chloe_ and _nice_ in the same sentence?” Marinette frowns, crossing her arms. “Can’t be her.”

“Maybe somebody hacked her phone, then,” Mylene suggests.

Marinette pulls out her own phone with a frown. “I haven’t received any text.”

“Then that means it must be Chloe,” Alya says, voice tinged with amusement.

“Did you get one, Evan?” asks Mylene.

I take my camera from Alya before answering. “I, uh, actually don’t have a phone.”

“What?” Mylene, Rose, and Juleka all exclaim, shocked.

My ears burn. Was it really that strange?

“Ew! She invited me!” Marinette shouts, saving me from any more scrutiny.

“Awesome! This will be so much fun,” Rose states happily.

She looks up from her phone. “Wait, you’re actually gonna go?”

“She probably wants to say sorry for this morning. Maybe she’s nice...very, very deep down.” Mylene shrugs, unsure.

“Chloe? No, she’s the exact opposite of nice,” Marinette says, and I have to agree. Chloe was never nice just to be nice. Strings were always attached. “Whatever. You guys can go, but don’t count me in!”

Good on her for standing her ground.

Alya’s phone goes off and she gasps before whispering, “It’s Nino. He’s going to the party with Adrien.”

“Okay, yes, you guys are right. We should totally give Chloe one more chance,” Marinette immediately backtracks with a resolute expression, hand on Alya’s shoulder.

_Nevermind then._

Shaking my head, I look outside at the darkening sky. “I’ll head home so you guys can get ready,” I say as I put away my camera, though a hand grabbing my rolled up sleeve stops me from leaving.

“You’re going,” Alya states.

“What? No! I wasn’t even invited,” I object, for the first time happy that I wasn’t included. It was the perfect excuse.

Alya’s phone suddenly goes off and she looks at it before a large grin forms on her face. “Oh, you’re _totally_ going.”

\------

Standing in front of the hotel, I slouch my shoulders with a sigh.

“Oh, don’t be so mad! Think of it as a chance to eat some expensive food,” Alya says, standing next to me with a grin.

I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I still don’t know why I’m here…”

“Because Chloe invited you, remember?”

“Something about her texting you to _“bring the mopey weirdo”_ makes me think it wasn’t by choice,” I grumble, scuffing my foot against the ground with a frown.

“I gotta agree with Evan,” Marinette speaks up. “No way Chloe would invite the both of us to a party of her own free will.”

Alya rolls her eyes. “Will you two chillout. Once Nino and Adrien get here we can go in and have a blast.”

Behind us, a voice shouts, “Well wait no longer, because the party animals have arrived!”

“There you guys are!” Alya waves at Adrien and Nino as they cross the street. “We thought you were going to be late.”

“You know this dude,” he elbows Adrien with a smirk, “had to get his hair _just_ right.”

“That’s not true!” Adrien objects, shoving him playfully before looking over at us. “Hey, Marinette. Hey, Evan.”

Giving him a quick greeting with a wave, I almost feel bad for the way Marinette stumbles out her own.

Alya takes some pity on the stuttering girl, nudging her towards the hotel’s entrance. “Why don’t we head in?”

Trailing behind with the girls, my eyes sweep over the crowded lobby as we enter. Packed. _Great._

“I still think the whole party thing’s way weird,” Marinette whispers.

Adrien overhears her, turning to look at us. “Well, I’ve known Chloe for a long time, she can actually be cool sometimes.”

I want to roll my eyes. Big surprise he still stuck up for her after everything. Just as I open my mouth to say something I’d regret, Chloe appears out of nowhere and throws herself on his back.

“Adri-kins!” she coos, turning him towards her to kiss his face in greeting. “What do you think of me hosting this party? Really nice of me, right?”

I see. So all of this was basically just to posture to Adrien. With others coming to greet her with a kiss I slip away into the crowd. No way my lips were going anywhere near her. French custom or not.

Carefully weaving through the crowd, I finally take a deep breath when I manage to reach the landing of the stairs. With everyone’s attention shifting to Chloe and the others, a loud pair of disgusted shrieks echo through the lobby. Spotting a disgusted Marinette rubbing her cheek, I chuckle quietly. Looked like she wasn’t able to avoid it.

After a brief moment the party moves upstairs, the crowd following Chloe to the lounge. I was one of the last, not wanting to get smothered, and by the time I actually reached the floor the party was already in full swing. People playing video games, others dancing to Nino’s DJing, even some were venturing into the ballpit.

Sticking to the outskirts, I head over towards Marinette and Alya by the elevator that lead to the roof.

“And here I thought you snuck out,” Alya teases when she spots me.

“Is it too late to do that?” I ask, frowning as someone almost bumps into me in their hurry to get to the ballpit.

“Afraid so.” She shakes her head. “Guess you’ll have to stick around and actually have fun for once.”

I’m a little insulted. “I have fun.”

“Other than photography.”

I cross my arms. “I have fun with you guys…” I mumble, looking down as the tips of my ears burn. Being Lapin Blanc did briefly cross my mind, leaving me with an aching emptiness, but I refused to acknowledge it.

Both Marinette and Alya coo at me with almost sparkling eyes.

“You’re just so cute sometimes!” Alya squeals, hands clasped together with a grin.

Marinette nods eagerly, copying the other girl’s pose. “You’re just a huge softy under all that stoicism, aren’t you?”

“So adorable!” they both giggle, making my blush ten times worse.

“You guys are impossible,” I grumble half-heartedly, their teasing comments not at all a surprise anymore.

“Expect nothing less from your besties,” Alya winks, laughing again. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you sneaking away earlier either.”

I look away with a guilty laugh as Marinette crosses her arms with a scowl.

“I wish I could’ve done the same,” she sighs irritably. “This BFF act she’s doing is just one big charade. She’s just doing it to please Adrien!”

“Really…” I hum, smiling knowingly as I share a look with Alya.

“Reminds me of a girl who didn’t want to go to a party until she heard Adrien would be there,” she says with a grin.

Marinette huffs. “Please don’t compare me to Chloe.”

I share a small laugh with Alya before patting the girl’s head. “Don’t worry, Marinette, you’re only both obsessed with the same boy is all.” Chuckling again when she groans, I glance over at the bar. “I’m going to get a drink, do either of you want anything?”

When they both shake their head, I bid them a quick goodbye before heading over towards the drinks. Grabbing my own, I stare at it for a moment before taking a drink.

At least she served good tasting punch.

“Oh! Hey, Evan,” a nervous voice calls beside me suddenly, almost making me spill my drink.

Looking to my right, I greet the redheaded boy with a small smile. “Hey, Nathanael.”

“Um, are you enjoying the party?” he asks awkwardly, glancing at something behind me.

“It’s okay…” I trail off, peeking behind me only to see a whistling Alix. “What about you?”

He sighs something quiet enough that I can’t understand and I give him a questioning look. His whole face flushes a deep red as he almost chokes. “I-I said I’m having a great time! The, uh, the drinks are rice—I mean nice!” He laughs nervously, taking a big gulp of his punch.

I hum quietly as the conversation lulls, propping my head in my hand while leaning against the bar. The silence was expected though, since it happened all the time at school.

Noticing the music shift to a more slow song, I glance behind me at everyone coupling up. Something suddenly whizzes by the back of my head and I quickly straighten, catching Alix glaring over at Nathanael with a straw in her hand.

Before I could question it, Nathanael clears his throat, smiling shyly when I look over at him. “Nice...nice music, huh?” he asks, voice cracking as sweat beads at his temple.

I nod. “Nino’s great at picking out songs.” Spotting the girls still by the roof elevator, I shove away from the counter. With my drink in hand I smile at Nathanael. “I better get back to Alya and Marinette. Um...I hope you have a good night?” I nearly wince at my hesitant goodbye but wave at him before heading over towards them.

Just as I almost reach them, a loud shout of my name is the only warning I get before someone crashes into me. Stumbling forward, I don’t even have time to find my footing before Marinette slams into my side, causing me to fall to the side. Bumping into someone’s back, my drink spills all over the both of us and I can literally feel the blood drain from my face when it’s Adrien that turns around.

“ _Es tut mir Leid!_ ” I say quickly, already panicking. “I’m so sorry! Someone bumped into me and…” I groan, scratching the side of my head irritably with a sigh. I was a real screw up. “I’m really sorry.”

Against all odds Adrien chuckles. “It’s alright, Evan. Accidents happen, right?” He motions towards the restrooms. “Let’s get cleaned up, shall we?”

His understanding benevolence almost makes me cry, but I settle on nodding dumbly and following him to the men’s restroom. Taking a quick glance back at the scene of the accident, I briefly notice a desponded Nathanael being comforted by Alix before disappearing into the restroom.

Facing Adrien, I duck my head with a frown. “I really am sorry, Adrien.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, you know,” he says, laughing lightly as he pulls off his stained outer layer.

I take my camera case off and set it on the sink. “Yeah, but…”

“Is your camera all right?” he asks, noticing the juice dripping off it.

“I hope so,” I sigh out, grabbing a handful of paper towels from the dispenser. “The case is supposed to be waterproof, but I’ll clean everything when I get home just in case.” Scrubbing at the front of my shirt, I already know it’s going in the garbage later.

A comfortable silence settles between the two of us, each too busy trying to rub out the stain to make conversation.

That is, until Adrien says something that makes me want to leap out of the window.

“So...Chat Noir’s number one fan, huh?”

I still, face practically exploding in a blush. Did he really have to bring that up? “Ugh, you saw that broadcast too?”

“Sorry, sorry!” He scrubs at the stain on the back of his shirt with a laugh. “I was really surprised to see you call in.”

“That was all my cousin’s doing,” I groan, tossing the red, wet paper towels into the waste bin with a scowl.

“I’ve never seen you so flustered,” he laughs, a carefree, wonderful sound and suddenly I can’t bring myself to take offence to his statement.

My face is still warm as I grumble, “you sound just like Alya.”

Laughing again, he gives up on his shirt. Instead looking at me curiously. “Are you really Chat Noir’s fan then?”

“I…” I find myself pausing. Was I? After everything that happened, did I still think of him the same? Thinking of his face, my heart skips in my chest at just the thought of him. “I guess I am,” I groan in defeat, suddenly wanting to punch myself in the face. Because, despite it all, it was disgustingly, painfully obvious I was still in love with Chat.

_Ugh._

“So, uh, what do you like about him then?” Adrien asks casually, though I see him eyeing me out of the corner of my eye.

Quite the loaded question. I let out a long suffering sigh, just giving up on lessening the stain on my shirt. “I guess...I like his smile,” I answer carefully, not wanting to sound creepy.

“His smile?”

My face warms and I clear my throat. “When he smiles it’s…really nice? And warm? He’s just…kind of amazing?” I shrug helplessly, caught up in a sort of sad nostalgia. I really missed him and Ladybug…

“Really?” Adrien hums, looking entirely too pleased for some weird reason.

“Adrien!” a shrill voice calls just outside the restroom, ruining the friendly atmosphere.

_Chloe…_

“Come out here right now…” there’s a pause and then a groan, “ _please_.”

“Look at her,” I quip, drying off the strap of my camera case with a tight smirk. “Saying _“please”_ and everything. Almost can’t believe it.”

Adrien laughs lightly, slipping on the ruined outershirt. “Come on, she’s not that bad...if you get to know her.”

I hum, tossing the paper towel away and putting the camera strap back around my neck. “I’ll just take your word for it,” I say, nudging him playfully as we leave the restroom together.

Chloe sets her sights on us immediately, a sneer twisting her face as she glares at me. “This is all part of your plan isn’t it, freak?” she accuses with a stomp of her foot. “Keeping Adrien away from me so he can’t see me being nice!”

I’m more confused than anything, giving her a withering look. “What are you talking about?”

Her butler steps in between us, facing her and saying, “Mademoiselle, you ought to—”

Chloe cuts him off, demanding him to move, though he pulls out...a bear? And starts baby talking to her as a crowd forms. “Oh, please, Chloe dear! You’ve been such a good little girl!”

I stare at the scene, disbelieving and in awe. Was this real life?

“Mr. Cuddly’s so very proud of you!”

Yep, there was no way I wasn’t dreaming right now.

“Is that your teddy bear?” asks Kim, everyone bursting into laughter, causing the blonde to drag the butler into the kitchen with a red face.

I sigh, shaking my head. I almost felt sorry for her. _Almost_ being the key word.

Spotting Alya waving at us from across the room, Adrien and I head over to her and Nino, alongside a flustered Marinette.

“Heard you guys had a little accident,” Nino says, glancing down at the red stain on my chest.

“Something like that,” I sigh, glad that my shirt at least wasn’t sopping wet at this point.

“Yeah, that’ll definitely stain,” Nino remarks, like I didn’t already know that. “But what was that all about with Chloe?”

“She just got embarrassed is all,” I answer with a shrug.

“Enough about Chloe,” Alya interjects, grinning as she nudges Marinette beside her. “How about we dance?”

“Sounds fun,” Adrien agrees, turning to me with a smile. “Want to dance with me, Evan?”

I almost choke on my spit. The two of us dancing? Together? The music was upbeat now, so it wouldn’t be an awkward couple dance…

Without needing to even look, I can already feel Marinette’s intense stare. It was obvious what she wanted. “I’m not much of a dancer, but Marinette—” I motion to her—“loves to dance.”

His smile wavers for a moment, probably feeling rejected, but he turns to her anyway. “Do you want to?”

Marinette nods dumbly, following after him as he leads her to the dance floor.

“That was actually pretty smooth, Evan,” Alya states, watching the pair with a raised brow.

“Must’ve learned from the best,” Nino quips with a grin, tugging her towards the crowd of dancing people.

Letting out a small chuckle as they start dancing, my smile falls as I scratch the side of my head with a sigh. Not that it wasn’t fun hanging out with my friends, but this party was too big. Too many people. I eye the elevator. Maybe I could sneak away and get some fresh air.

Pressing the button, Chloe’s yelling as she shoots passed with a smiling Sabrina gives me pause. Watching as she cowers behind Kim, a black teddy bear unlatches itself from the redhead and wraps around his ankle. I suck in a sharp breath. An Akuma? Now?

Watching another moment as Sabrina looks around confused, the elevator dings and I bite my cheek. There was no way Ladybug and Chat Noir would know about this. It wasn’t like the last villain, Prime Queen, who was vying for the spotlight. It was a small stuffed animal.

I tug at my gloves, the pit in my stomach growing as Kim now seems to be controlled. Could I…? _Should_ I…? My eyes focus on an oblivious Nino and Alya before I nod resolutely to myself.

_Just this once._

Taking the elevator up to the roof, I step out into the chilly wind and take a deep breath. Just get the situation under control and then leave before any unpleasant conversations had to happen.

“Okay, Evan, in and out,” I say quietly, ignoring the way my stomach twisted nervously.

Blann’s grin almost takes up his whole face as he giggles excitedly. “Let’s kick some Akuma butt!”

Nodding, I straighten my shoulders and bring my bracelet eye level. _I could do this._ “Blann, ears up!”

The elevator ride back down was almost unbearably slow. Too many anxious thoughts swirling in my head. What would people say? What would they think? Lapin Blanc’s almost month long absence didn’t go unnoticed. There were rumors of a romantic falling out, either between me and Ladybug, or me and Chat. A few even believed something horrible happened and it was being covered up. The closest one though, was offered by some late-night TV host I couldn’t remember the name of. _“They just had a simple falling out,”_ he said, something about him saying it so flippantly making me feel stupid.

As the elevator descends, the sight of a screaming Chloe being swung around has me refocusing on the present. Preparing myself as the elevator slows to a stop, I rush forward as Kim spins her outward. Grabbing her free arm, I rip her out of his grip and kick off in the other direction, pulling her back towards the elevator.

“Lapin?!”

Almost tripping over myself at the shout of my name, I barely notice Chloe slamming into my back. Sweating bullets, I look over by the ball pit and try not to let my discomfort show. “Uh...hi?”

Ladybug stares at me wide-eyed, too stunned to say anything. Before either of us could speak, a loud crash comes from the ball pit, Kim flying into it with a shout.

I stiffen, suddenly unable to breathe. _That probably meant…_

“That’s a very slippery dance floor!” a painfully familiar voice says, and I can’t bring myself to turn around. Maybe I could slip away…

“Lapin?!”

I suck in a sharp breath. Or not.

With everyone’s attention on me, I spot the small bear running towards the stairs. “It’s getting away!” I shout, releasing Chloe and chasing after it.

With Ladybug ordering people out of the way, the bear is nowhere to be seen. Glancing around, we only have the briefest moment to duck out of the way of a flying chair.

“How about a little game of flying chairs?” Max yells atop the bar, the teddy bear wrapped around his ankle.

Dodging another chair, I almost joke about it _“being a real ankle biter”_ , but manage to stop myself at the last minute.

Ladybug tries to grab it with her yoyo, only for it to jump away. Before we could even begin to look for it, Alya wraps her arms around Ladybug, eyes a bright green. Though Ladybug quickly slips out of her hold and twists her behind her back.

The color fades out of Alya’s eyes and I spot the small bear running away. Darting after it, it grabs onto Ivan who quickly picks up the table separating us. Cursing to myself I skid to a stop, footing slipping on the tiled floor as I get ready to avoid the large object.

Heart pounding as he starts to swing the table down, Chat intercepts it, cutting it in half and shoving the much larger boy to the couch.

“You okay, Lapin?” he asks, glancing back at me.

My heart skips and I nod before quickly getting back to my feet. “Where’d it go?” I look around the crowded room before hopping up on the divider counter for a better view. Hearing Ladybug gasp, I look over at her, surprised to see Chat holding her wrist.

Barely managing to dodge his hand as he grabs for her earrings, she shouts, “He’s being controlled!”

I leap at Chat with zero hesitation, slamming into him with a grunt. Quickly reaching to protect the back of his head as we crash to the ground, my eyes widen as I hear him activate his Cataclysm. Grabbing his wrist just before he could slam his palm into my face, I stretch his arm out beside him and use my other hand to trap his other wrist next to his head.

With him trapped underneath me, still struggling, my chest heaves as I stare down at him. Despite the fact that I let my resolve crumble and transformed back into Lapin Blanc, it was undoubtedly the first time in almost a month I really felt _alive_.

Chat blinks, his eyes changing back to their normal shade of green and then the last thing I remember is a feeling of something grabbing my ankle.

\------

Stumbling forward as my momentum almost makes me fall, I glance around the open air as my mind struggles to comprehend what was happening. Trying to shake away the encroaching headache, I realize with a sinking feeling that I had been controlled by that stupid stuffed bear.

“Lapin! It has Chat again!” Ladybug yells, avoiding his swinging staff with a flip.

Quickly gathering my bearings, I reach for my tonfas only to find myself one short. _What?_ Ignoring the unusual situation I rush over to help Ladybug. Kicking him in the back as she throws her yoyo to wrap around the umbrella stand, I hold him off while she instructs Chloe to start spinning it.

Using my lone tonfa to block most of his strikes, he turns his attention back to Ladybug with a sneer. As she dodges his staff, I hastily leap forward as he raises it high. Pushing Ladybug to the ground, I kneel over her protectively with my tonfa against my forearm, the vibrations from the Chat’s powerful swing hitting it making my whole arm quiver.

In a deadlock, I glare at him with narrowed eyes. Despite everything, I wasn’t going to let her get hurt.

He blinks rapidly, looking at me with confusion. “Lapin? What’s going on?”

I glance at the unthreaded bear head lying on the ground before relaxing and stepping back, letting Ladybug speak.

“Oh, nothing. We were just saving your skin with the help of our new little sidekick,” she states, Chloe looking like a smug puffed up peacock from across the pool.

A squeaky voice starts demanding our Miraculouses, Chat picking up the palm sized man with a grin.

“I’ve got this little guy under control,” he says, and I can’t help but to smile lightly.

Turning away as my chest stings, I want nothing more than to throw myself at him. Wrap my arms around his waist and never let go. But I couldn’t.

_Because I was just a nuisance._

My own words actually make me wince.

Heading towards the ledge, I take a deep breath before getting ready to step off. It was time for me to go.

“Lapin, wait!” Chat yells, his free hand suddenly gripping my arm tightly. “We need to talk!”

My stomach rolls and I feel queasy. There was nothing to say. And I tell him as much.

His grip tightens, though I still refuse to look at him. “Of course there’s things we have to say! You’ve been gone for almost a month!”

I tense, ripping free from his hold. “I’m always in the way, right? So I just decided not to be anymore,” I hiss out between clenched teeth, trying my best to ignore the way my heart was aching. Before he could say anything else I step off the edge of the building and ignore Ladybug’s added plea for me to wait.

Though I wanted to. So, _so,_ badly.

Ducking around the corner of the hotel, I quickly change back while trying not to cry. It felt amazing fighting with them again, and for the briefest moment I could pretend that everything was okay. That I haven’t been avoiding them. That it still didn’t hurt whenever I thought about the look on Ladybug’s face when she called me useless.

“I really think you should talk to them,” Blann whispers, wiping the building tears from one of my eyes.

I sigh, hanging my head. “I know,” I admit quietly. “But not now.” Not when it still made me want to cry.

With a small sigh of acceptance, he pecks my cheek before grinning at me. “Let’s go home, okay?”

Scrubbing at my stupid, stinging eyes, I take a deep breath and smile softly at the small Kwami.

“Yeah, I really need a nap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evan's really not a party type of person, but he's a pushover a lot of the time. So of course Alya and Marinette would easily be able to drag him to one. Even Chloe's lol   
> You also can't tell me that Adrien wouldn't smell at least a *little bit* like cheese, considering Plagg's obsession with it.   
> Hope you guys liked it!


	4. Short - Unexpected Visit

Leaning back in my chair with a groan, I massage my stiff neck with closed eyes. Though I felt a little guilty for leaving the party without telling anyone, I desperately needed the alone time to get my emotions back under control. Also to properly clean my camera.

“Is it okay?” Blann asks, watching me curiously from his spot on my desk.

“I think so,” I answer, looking back over it with a critical eye. Everything  _ looked _ fine for the most part. No water damage or glitchy screens. But I still erred on the side of caution and had my cleaning kit out.

Briefly wondering if the party was still going, I scrub my eyes and just take a moment to enjoy the silence. The only real noise being the soft music coming from the radio at the edge of my desk. 

_ I hated parties like that. _

Too much noise and not enough space. And don’t even get me started on meeting Ladybug and Chat again…

An unexpected knock coming from the balcony door almost gives me a heart attack, though the bubbling question of who (or what) would be on my fourth story balcony was just as pressing. Slowly standing, I narrow my eyes at the door, unable to see anything but a dark shape outside. 

_ It couldn’t be someone Akumatized, right?  _ Because even Hawk Moth had to recharge after an attack. 

Grabbing my desk lamp, I slowly face it towards the black mass, heart thudding loudly in my ears. The light reflects off the glass, obscuring the view, and I swear my heart actually stops for a moment before I readjust the light and  _ really _ wish it actually had.

“ _ Chat?! _ ” I almost yell, only managing to lower my volume last minute.

He waves with a grin, motioning to the handle of the door.

Seriously debating just turning off the light and ignoring him, my pitiful, lovesick heart wouldn’t let me. Gathering my nerves, I set the lamp aside and head to the door. Hesitantly opening it as my heart threatens to pound out of my chest, I can only stare at the blonde superhero in bewilderment. 

“Gonna let a guy in? It’s freezing out here,” he says, holding his arms and shivering for added effect. 

I blink, stepping aside as I try to understand why he was even here. I suddenly tense, eyes widening in alarm. Did he find out who I really was? “Uh...so what brings you here…?” I ask, nerves alight in panic.

“Nothing much.” he flops down in my chair and spins around. “Just thought I’d pay a visit to my number one fan.” 

I almost choke, and while I’m definitely still panicking, it’s over something completely different. “T-That’s not--I mean…my cousin is the one that called!” My face is red enough that it would probably burn to the touch. Maybe it would’ve been better if he came here to expose me.

“So you  _ aren’t  _ a fan of me and my flattering smile?” he teases, batting his eyes with a coy smile. Already seeming to know the answer. 

I suck in a sharp breath through my teeth. I don’t know how he got that information (the taunt was way too specific to be a coincidence) but it made my stomach flutter all the same. I really was pathetic, wasn’t I?

“Just kidding!” he laughs, spinning in the chair again before continuing. “I know I’m popular. I actually came here to see if everything was okay, since you weren’t at the party after the Akuma attack.”

My heart actually skips, even though it  _ really  _ shouldn’t. “I, uh, wanted to make sure my camera wasn’t messed up,” I answer, pointing to the camera parts strewn across my desk. 

He sits up, looking at the parts with interest. “Is it?” he asks, eyes practically sparkling in the shadow of the desk lamp.

I swallow dryly, taken by the way the light plays off his face. “Yeah…” I sigh, before clearing my throat and shaking my head in embarrassment. “Yeah, I think everything’s okay.”

The grin he gives me almost knocks me off my feet. “That’s great! It’d suck if the punch destroyed it.” 

I never said  _ what _ could’ve ruined my camera. “How’d you know that?” I ask with furrowed brows. 

He sputters for a moment before giving an obviously fake grin. “I talked to Adrien at the party. He must’ve said something about it to me.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t know how that would even come up in a conversation…”

Jumping up out of the chair, he laughs blatantly ignoring what I said. “Since everything seems okay I should get back to patrolling. Never know when evil will strike next,” he says with a wink, heading to the balcony before getting ready to leap off the railing and adding, “Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure to visit again.” 

Watching as he gives me a loose salute, he disappears over the edge with a large grin. 

Scratching the side of my head as I close the balcony door, I can’t help but be a little confused at the whole encounter. 

Blann comes flying out from hiding with loud, bubbly giggles. “He must’ve been worried when you left!” he cheers, zipping around my head with such speed I lose track of him several times.

Crossing my arms, I block out the rest of his excited squeals as I stare out at the darkened outside. No matter what the reason was, it wasn’t fair, showing up out of nowhere to check on me.

_ He just was making it all the harder to forget him.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little snippet of Chat visiting Evan post party! It isn't much but I liked writing it anyway lol


	5. Riposte

Trailing to a stop as I gasp painfully for air, I lean forward and squeeze my eyes closed. It was a bit cliche, but I ended up taking up running with all my new freetime. Something about the familiar feeling of the wind in my face allowing me a few moments of peace.

Taking a few sharp breaths until it feels like I won’t pass out, I slip off my drawstring bag and grab my water bottle. Taking a few big gulps, I almost choke when I overhear my hero name as a group of girls pass by. Unsurprisingly, a news media outlet caught wind that I showed up to help with the Akuma attack at Chloe’s party. But instead of calming the rumor mill since my brief return, even _more_ speculation was now floating around.

“ _Lapin Blanc’s_ _Miraculous Return”_ was what a lot of people were calling it. Even Alya was hyping up my return, posting a whole montage of interviews talking about how excited people were that I came back. It was almost impossible to _avoid_ hearing about it at this point.

Swallowing the bitterness that rises in my throat, I slip my nylon bag back on and wipe the sweat from my face before continuing down the street. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, but I doubted Lapin Blanc would make any more surprise returns.

I can practically hear Blann’s giggly voice mocking me. _“Are you sure about that?”_ he’d probably say, a little too smug for someone under five inches tall.

Frowning, I come to a stop at the corner of the school. Glancing up towards the entrance, I’m a little surprised to see Adrien talking to a dark-haired girl that wasn’t Marinette, who was watching the exchange from atop the stairs. The girl suddenly gets into the back of her car and I almost go to greet him before he jumps in his own before it pulls out after her.

Watching the car disappear down the road, a familiar black butterfly catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. Eyes widening as I watch it flap past me, I already find myself looking for a place to slip away to transform before I could stop myself.

_It wasn’t my responsibility anymore._

Like a mantra I repeat it over and over, passing by the entrance of the school as I force myself to continue my run. Ladybug and Chat could handle it...right?

“Right,” I breathe out, refusing to acknowledge the heaviness forming in my gut. It wasn’t like they were incompotant without me after all. _Might even be better._

Wincing internally at the stinging thought, I find myself trailing after the Akuma anyway. _Just to keep an eye on it,_ I try to reason. Though I’m soon racing after it, desperate to keep it in my line of sight. With it disappearing around the corner I have to stop for a breath. I wouldn’t be able to keep up with it at this rate.

Glancing at the alley on my right, I take a moment to mentally map out the area before taking off into the narrow space. Being Lapin Blanc meant I ended up knowing almost all the places to hide along with rarely used shortcuts.

And this alley leads right out to the other side of the block.

Bursting into the street, I don’t have time to take joy in my correct assumption before Adrien’s familiar silver car just passes by me before being cut in two.

My heart drops and I nearly shout Adrien’s name as he goes flying out of the half left behind. The only thing that stops me from rushing to his side is the metallic looking girl that lands on his car.

“I’m taking you up on your offer of a decisive match!” she yells as she points her sword at him.

Adrien looks at her in shock, standing as he shakes his head. “I...I can’t fight you like this. You’re not...yourself!”

“Fight!” she sneers.

Panicking as she gets ready to charge at him, I rip off my drawstring bag and wind back. Throwing it at her with all my might, it barrels into her back with a clang and I tense my whole body as I shout, “Leave him alone!”

“An interferer?” she seethes, looking back to lock eyes with me menacingly.

I manage to shoot Adrien a quick look before darting back into the alley, the metallic girl hot on my heels. Hearing a sharp noise pierce the air from behind me, I throw myself to the ground just in time as a wave of silver passes overhead and cuts a group of trash cans into pieces.

For a second I almost throw up, the reality of how utterly and dangerously _stupid_ I was making me sick. But in the same breath I remember Adrien. For whatever reason she was after him and I would try my hardest to keep her attention off him. But there was no way I could do it as me. I wasn’t nearly fast enough to dodge anymore arches of her blade.

The only way to protect him would be as Lapin Blanc

I take a sharp breath before quickly forcing myself up and slipping off my bright blue sweatshirt in one smooth motion. As she gets ready to lunge at me, I throw it at her face before grabbing a trash can lid and flinging it at her sweatshirt covered face. Not waiting to see her reaction, I burst out of the alley and quickly head towards the subway. Not slowing down, I leap over the railing. Nearly twisting my ankle as I land on the stairs, the roaring of the metallic girl from somewhere above has me sprinting down to the subway platform.

Ducking into the tunnel before anyone could see me, I let out a tensed breath as I lean against the wall. “That was too close,” I sigh out, whole body pulsing in tune with my racing heart.

Blann flies out of my short’s pocket with a scowl. “That was _super_ dangerous!”

“I know,” I answer, finally catching my breath.

“You’re not even close to being fast enough to fight her unless you’re Lapin Blanc!”

“I know.” I nod, shoving away from the wall as I bring my bracelet eye level. “Blann, ears up.”

Rushing back above ground, I leap up to the roof and quickly head back to where I last saw Adrien. Catching the tail end of the fight between Ladybug and the metallic girl, Ladybug is suddenly thrown to the ground. Before I can interfere, Adrien manages to get to her in time, shoving her out of the way in a mess of tangled limbs and rough landings.

With the metallic girl's hand-sword stuck in the ground, I bite back the urge to run away and land next to an injured Adrien. “How bad are you hurt?” I quickly ask, pointedly ignoring their surprised looks. “Can you walk? Because we need to get you out of here quickly.”

“I agree. We need to get you as far away from that girl as possible,” Ladybug agrees, and I let out a mental sigh of relief that she was at least letting me do this much.

“Sounds like a plan,” Adrien says, and I pull him up by his arm so he doesn’t have to put too much pressure on his ankle.

Noticing the akumatized girl breaking her arm free, I shove him into Ladybug and quickly pull out my tonfas. “Hurry and go!” I shout, shoving them once more before they get the message.

Just as they prepare to swing away she breaks free from the ground and charges at us. Heart pounding, I grip my tonfas tightly and meet her head on, managing to block her first swing before quickly ducking under her next one.

Quickly swinging up and slamming the tip of my tonfa into her stomach, any sense of victory is short-lived as her foot slams into my shoulder without a reaction. Back slamming into the pavement, her sword swings downward and I quickly roll out of the way of her piercing jab. Scrambling up, I barely manage to avoid another attack before leaping up to the roof to give me some breathing room.

Rushing across the rooftops, I weave between chimneys and take sharp turns to avoid the arc waves of her swinging blade. She was definitely one of the faster villains I had to fight, but I was still faster.

And maybe it was a runner’s high, or my own stupidity, but _it felt amazing_.

One of my tonfas start ringing, pulling me out of my giddy headspace, and I leap down to a shorter building just as a wave crashes into the chimney I was just passing. “Are you guys somewhere safe?” I question, focus split on listening and staying alive as I hold it to my ear.

“Where are you?” Ladybug questions.

“I’m—” a part of the roof shatters next to me as I dart out of the way before continuing, “leading her the opposite way you guys were heading.”

“See if you can lose her and meet us at the location on the GPS. I’ll try calling Chat next.”

I almost slow down, chest tightening at the mere mention of his name. I definitely wanted to run away, avoid the dreaded conversation that would inevitably take place, but I couldn’t. Not with Adrien hurt and being targeted.

“Alright. Give me two minutes, tops.” I end the call and slip my tonfa back onto my belt and take a deep breath. Reaching a taller building, I quickly leap up to the roof and take a sharp right, dropping down to the sidewalk as swiftly as I can. Ducking low behind a parked car, I make sure to flatten my rabbit ears with my hands, Riposte's booming voice demanding a duel moving further away as she continues on the warpath.

Pulling up the GPS on the screen on my tonfa, I quickly map out the path to them before glancing back up at the tops of the buildings. Only hearing more destruction in the distance I deem it safe enough to head to the meet up spot.

Reaching the location that was on the GPS, I land in front of Ladybug and Adrien, glad to see them relatively unharmed. “Any luck reaching Chat Noir?” I ask, my heart slowing to a normal rhythm now that I wasn’t running for my life.

“Nothing,” Ladybug shakes her head, eyes widening as she looks over at me. “You’re bleeding!”

I blink. “What?”

“Yeah! On your arm!” Adrien says, sounding just as alarmed as Ladybug.

I look down at my arms. They actually weren’t lying. A cut on my right bicep, not deep enough to do any real damage, was dripping blood all the way down to my elbow. Probably from when I had to roll out of the way of her sword earlier.

“Don’t worry, it looks worse than it is,” I say with a grin, hoping to curtail their worry. “It’s just a graze.” And that was if I was being dramatic about it.

“Are you sure?” Ladybug questions, and I answer with a small nod.

I could almost fool myself into thinking she really _was_ concerned about me and not just worried about keeping Adrien safe.

“How about you, Adrien? Can you walk?” I ask, wanting her attention focused away from me.

The blonde rubs his ankle with a nervous smile. “I think I twisted it but I’m okay.”

Right after he finishes speaking, the chimney behind them suddenly explodes into little pieces. Tensing up as the dust settles to show an angry Riposte, she points her sword at me threateningly as she speaks.

“Allow me to explain the rules to you.” She shifts her glare down to Ladybug and Adrien. “You’re not allowed to call it quits at any time. Adrien is mine!”

As the two quickly stand, I pull Adrien behind me as Ladybug slides to my side.

“I will defeat you—all of you!” She points to the three of us before sneering. “I am the best fencer!”

“Nobody’s denying that. My friend Marinette made a bad call earlier,” Adrien says, and I move my arm out to keep him from stepping forward.

Ladybug nods. “He’s right. Referee errors can happen in fencing. You don’t have to get so bent out of shape about it!”

“I’m sure Marinette wasn’t trying to humiliate you,” he adds when Riposte growls angrily.

“Of course not!” Ladybug shouts, before glancing back at us and clearing her throat at her outburst. “Uh...I mean...I’m sure that was the case...”

The metallic girl sneers, pointing her sword at us once again. “It’s too late! The damage has been done. This time, I shall be the referee!” she shouts, charging at us with a shout.

“Take care of Adrien,” Ladybug orders before rushing to meet Riposte head on.

I find myself hesitating just for a moment. The last time I was in charge of Adrien’s safety it ended up being the worst day of my life. “Alright…” I take a quick, reassuring breath before scooping the blonde up in my arms and warning him to hold on tight.

I find myself smiling as his arms loop around my neck and squeeze tightly. _How cute._

Not wanting to linger, I quickly focus on getting him somewhere safe. Quickly making my way across the city's skyline, the sounds of fighting fade in the distance the farther away I get. Coming to a stop just before we reach the Louvre, I carefully set him down on the roof and crouch down to give him a once over.

“You alright?”

He tries to hide his pained expression and nods. “Yep, just a little sore.”

I stare at him for a moment before sighing and lightly poking his ankle. The hiss of pain doesn’t go unnoticed. “You don’t need to lie to me,” I say while slipping off one of my belts. Strapping my tonfa to the one still around my waist, I sit on the ground and pull Adrien’s leg onto my lap. Ignoring his flustered questioning, I begin unlacing his shoe while keeping a firm hold of his skin so he doesn’t move and hurt himself anymore.

“What are you doing?” he asks, face reddening as he tenses.

Pulling off his shoe and tossing it to the side, I decide to be nice and not comment on the smell coming from it. My joke about the odour eaters I made a while ago still ringing true. “It’ll help a little if we stabilize it. Using a belt isn’t _ideal_ but it’s better than nothing,” I explain as I shift his leg so that it's resting on my knee. Wrapping the belt around his ankle and looping it under his heel for more support, I swallow a guilty apology as he winces at the feeling.

“Okay…” I finish tying the belt and lean back, looking up at a sweating Adrien. “It should be a little less painful to walk on.”

“Thanks,” he hisses between clenched teeth, obviously still feeling the sting.

Carefully moving his leg off my lap, I stand back up and grin. “Just take it nice and easy, Mr. Model. I’m sure Ladybug has everything under control.”

No sooner do I say that Ladybug lands next to us with a frown. “Riposte is very driven to get to you, Adrien,” she states, her gaze flickering to me as her frown deepens. “I still can’t get a hold of Chat either.”

_Didn’t tell him he was useless too, did you?_ I almost seethe, having to physically bite my tongue to remain silent. Now wasn’t the time to be petty and put one of my few friends at risk just cause I was bitter.

Taking a small breath, I keep my conflicting emotions in check and ask, “What should we do then?”

Ladybug looks around before her eyes land on the Louvre. “I think we could hide him in the museum. It has decent security and she won’t be able to get the drop on us as easily.”

“Sounds good.” I look down at Adrien and offer my hand. “Do you wanna try getting up? To see if the belt helped at all?”

He nods as he takes my hand. Managing to pull himself up, the makeshift wrap seems to work. Until he takes a step and crashes into my arms with a pained gasp.

“I guess that’s a no then, huh?” I question with a smile before sweeping him off his feet.

“Come on, before she finds us,” Ladybug says quickly, and I follow after her as we head down to the Louvre.

“Akuma alert!” she shouts as soon as we land in the plaza. “You must leave now! Evacuate the premises calmly!”

Heading inside as people start leaving, the robotic announcement warning about the Akuma alert echoes throughout the vacating museum. Following Ladybug further down into the Egytian display, I ignore the light stinging coming from the cut on my arm. At least it quit bleeding.

“There!” Ladybug motions towards the pharaoh display at the end of the hall.

I eye the sarcophagus with a displeased face. “You’re not thinking of sticking him in _that_ are you?”

Her resounding silence is all the confirmation I need.

“You can’t be serious!” I object, speeding up to match her strides with a frown. “He should hide somewhere where he has a chance of getting away if he’s found.”

Adrien shifts in my arms, going to say something before being cut off by Ladybug.

“It’s a safe place to hide him, Lapin, and it’s not like we have a lot of choices anyway,” she says, shaking her head.

“I—”

“But if she figures out he’s in there, there’s no way he can get away! It’s a death trap!” Okay, maybe I was exaggerating _just a little_ , but I really didn’t agree with stuffing him in there.

“He has—”

“And what would you suggest?” she asks with crossed arms. “Chat Noir is nowhere to be found and Riposte is determined to get to Adrien. The way I see it, this is not only the quickest option, but also the safest.”

I ignore the anxious feeling swirling in my stomach. “How about the security office then? He’d at least be able to _see_ what’s going on through the cameras instead of nervously waiting in the dark.”

Adrien perks up, still in my arms. “That’s act—”

“No, we stick with the sarcophagus,” Ladybug says firmly, cutting off the debate.

I bristle at her tone, gripping the fabric of Adrien’s shirt as I try to keep my temper in check. “You never listen to me,” I say through clenched teeth, shoving Adrien into her arms and turning away. It hurt, being shut down so swiftly like that.

“Lapin…” she calls after me as I head towards the stairs.

“I’ll be near the entrance keeping watch,” I say, pausing long enough to glance at them over my shoulder before leaving the Egyptian wing.

Grumbling to myself as I stomp up the stairs and into the main part of the museum, I stop in the middle of the room and cross my arms. Tapping my foot on the ground as I fight back angry tears, hurt also simmers just below the surface of my irritation. While I usually just listened to whatever she said, to be shut down so quickly really did hurt. _Even though I wasn’t even part of the team anymore._

Letting my arms fall to my side, my cut stings as the ripped fabric of my costume shifts over it, souring my mood even more. Getting cut by her was a sloppy move. Never should have happened.

“Lapin!” Ladybug shouts, and I look back to see her coming up the stairs.

“Still a no show,” I say, craning my neck to stare up at the glass pyramid roof.

“Then we’ll have some time to strategize.”

I hum, continuing to stare up at the sky. My opinions didn’t matter so why voice them?

I hear Ladybug sigh. “Lapin, we need to talk about what I said—”

“ _Don’t._ ” I look down at her with narrowed eyes. “You don’t have to say anything. I’ll be out of your hair as soon as Chat shows up.” I couldn’t handle being told I wasn’t good enough again.

She looks upset, grabbing my forearm to stop me from turning away.

Just as she opens her mouth, a loud, cringe inducing screeching comes from above as the top of the pyramid slides off and crashes on the ground outside.

_Looks like she finally showed up_.

Correct in my assumption, Riposte lands in front of us as she demands to know where we hid Adrien.

“You’d actually think we’d tell you?” Ladybug scoffs, pointing her fencing sword at the akumatized girl.

Pulling out my tonfas as I run alongside her to meet Riposte, Ladybug swings at her with her rapier. With the metallic girl dodging out of the way, I slip in between them to quickly block her counter swing with my tonfa. Ducking down just as Ladybug’s sword passes over my head towards the other girl once again, we fall into a familiar dance.

With me blocking Riposte’s charged swings as Ladybug tries to hit her with her fencing sword, we actually have her slowly backing up. I almost forgot how well we fought together, like sharing the same wavelength.

Felt like trust.

My eyes widen as Ladybug’s sword darts passed my side.

_But I was the only one feeling that way, wasn’t I?_

Faltering in my step, my momentary distraction is all Riposte needs to elbow me in the face and throw me aside. Slamming my back into the pillar across the room, I land in a heap on the ground with a pained groan.

Rubbing my lower back as I wince from the ache that travels up my spine, I mentally thrash myself for getting distracted in the middle of the fight. I mean, it’s been a little over a month since the fight and I was still hurting over it? “How pathetic…” I breathe out, struggling to catch my breath as the fight rages on without me.

Cracking open an eye as the fight trails off into the art wing of the museum, I dig my fingers into my tense back for another moment before standing. Quickly following after them, Ladybug is knocked to the ground. Panic swirls through me before Chat appears and blocks the metallix girl’s swing with his staff.

Rushing at her as he shoves her away, I throw all my weight into her side as I slam into her roughly. Pinning her to the ground before she can recover, I make sure her sword-arm is tightly clasped in my hand while her other hand is wedged in between her side and my leg.

“A fencing tournament at the Louvre? How come I wasn’t invited?” Chat jokes, and I almost crack a smile before remembering the situation.

Ladybug jumps up and pulls her sword out of the painting behind her. “Let me guess, you were late because you were at the groomer’s again?”

“I was preening myself, milady. You know how long it takes cats to get ready.”

I snort despite myself, and the self-satisfied grin that spreads across Chat’s face doesn’t go unnoticed. Trying not to flush, I focus on keeping the prone villain on the ground as she struggles to break free.

“Her sword is stuck to her hand so I’m not sure how to get to the Akuma,” Ladybug explains, standing over me and her as she examines the metallic girl’s arm.

“We could break it off,” Chat offers, making a point to catch my gaze before adding, “What do you think, Lapin?”

I didn’t blush. Nor did it feel like I was suddenly thrust into the center stage spotlight. I was just hot and a little flustered from tackling Riposte. Really. “Uh, I think Chat’s right,” I answer, glancing away from his bright green eyes before I could utter something profoundly stupid. At least when I met him as me, Evan, I didn’t have to worry as much about embarrassing myself. He knew Evan was a bit of a fanboy so my cringy, nervous behavior made sense. _Not_ so much with Lapin Blanc.

“Keep a hold of her, Lapin,” Ladybug instructs as she reaches down to grab the flat part of the sword. “Chat and I will try to snap it in half.”

In a whirlwind, I’m flung off Riposte, landing roughly on the ground as she rolls backwards and stands with a sneer.

With the other two jumping away before she could swing at them, a pained gasp from Chat makes my stomach drop as I quickly look over at him.

Seeing him bent over clutching his ankle, I almost rush over to his side, mind reeling on when he could’ve gotten hurt. Before I could though, the sight of Riposte charging at an equally distracted Ladybug has my breath catching in my throat. Cursing violently in my mind, I throw myself between the two and shove Ladybug away just as she thrusts her sword forward.

Time seems to still as I stare wide-eyed at the villain.

“ _Lapin!”_

I wasn’t sure who yelled first, but the terrified cries hit me like a cold splash of water. Taking a sharp breath as a searing pain blossoms from my side, my eyes water against my will. Daring to look down, I almost throw up at the sight of Riposte’s sword digging into me just below my ribs. _This was way worse than a papercut._

As the sword pulls out with a sickening _slick_ , I stumble back as my knees buckle. Sliding to the ground, I bring a trembling hand to where the sword impaled me. Pulling away, the blood that coats my once clean hand has me lightheaded and weak. _I had to be imagining things, right? This couldn’t be real…_

My thoughts racing, I can only stare hazily at my hand as Chat’s voice drifts through the fog surrounding me. It isn’t until someone grabs my shoulders tightly that I tear my gaze away from my soiled hand and lock eyes with panicked, bright green ones, an alarm blaring somewhere behind me.

“Chat…?” I breathe out, voice quivering as I try to fully understand just how badly I managed to screw myself over.

He struggles to form a sentence, gaze flickering to my bleeding wound as he pales. “L-Let’s sit you against the wall, okay? Can you stand…? No, I’ll carry you,” he corrects quickly, and I don’t miss the way he winces as he stands.

“Don’t!” I hiss, holding my clean hand up, my other one going back to putting pressure on my side. “I’ll...I’ll be fine. Just go help Ladybug.” The sooner she captured the Akuma the sooner everything would be okay.

“I can’t just leave you!”

Holding in a hiss as my side aches with every breath, I shake my head and look up at him with pleading eyes. “You have to Chat. Riposte is...is _fast_ and she’ll need your help…” My breath hitches as I try not to let my tears fall as I jokingly add, “I’ll try not to die while you’re gone.”

He sucks in a sharp breath, almost looking close to tears himself as he clasps my clean right hand tightly. “Promise?” he asks quietly, and, even though I’m bleeding out in the Louvre, my heart clenches at his vulnerable tone.

“Scout’s honor.” I squeeze his hand, wanting nothing more than to wipe away his unshed tears.

He lets out a watery laugh, meeting my eyes with a weak smile. “Were you even a boy scout?”

“I’ll tell ya later, after you save Ladybug,” I say, rubbing my thumb against the back of his hand before slipping out of his grip with a hopefully energetic grin. “Now go be a hero!”

Staring at me with glossy eyes, he stands with a resolute nod and heads towards the bars locking us in. Activating his Cataclysm, he kicks the rusted bars down and looks at me over his shoulder one last time before heading towards the stairs.

Watching until his head disappears, I let out a shuddering breath as I finally allow myself to cry. Digging the palm of my clean hand into my eye as I let out a sob, my fingers dig into the fabric of my costume surrounding the oozing wound. Carefully dragging myself over towards the wall, I lean against it with a pained groan.

Feeling lightheaded all over again at this sight of the puddle of blood just a few feet away, I quickly close my eyes and take a shuddered half-breath. _I really screwed up this time, didn’t I?_ I chuckle bitterly as tears stream down my face. _Aunt Claire is probably panicking right now since I haven’t returned home…._

My body tenses as a dark thought trickles into my brain. _Will I ever?_

Or would my aunt have to plan a funeral for someone that she never would’ve imagined dying so soon? While my cousin would cry herself to sleep, having lost her self-appointed _“bestest cousin”_?

But...maybe they wouldn’t care?

No. They would. And that was the worst part of it all. _That they would_. They would cry and scream. Questioning why I was so stupid while clinging to eachother like they were the only tether keeping them alive. Maybe they’d even be too heartbroken to go through my things. Leave all my things shut up in the attic, wasting away in a mocking reminder that I wasn’t around anymore.

My hands feel heavy, falling to my side loosely as I stare up the ceiling through hazy eyes.

What about Ladybug and Chat too? No doubt they’d blame themselves. Ladybug being too slow, Chat making us distracted. And, as strained as our relationship now was, I didn’t want that. But I didn’t want them to forget me either. I should’ve...I should’ve…

“I should’ve kissed him…” I mumble, almost too quiet to hear over the static pounding in my ears. I should’ve grabbed him by the back of the neck and kissed him hard enough to imprint myself on him forever. So he’d still remember me ten, twenty years from now.

_Haha, guess bleeding out really brought out the weird side of me._

Laughing weakly alongside my mind, I can’t summon the strength to flex my freezing fingers. Was it always so cold inside museums? Or was the Louvre just special? It’d probably make a nice place for a date, at least I think that’s what Alya said.

Maybe Adrien would like it. I’m sure he’d enjoy himself if Marinette asked him to go. Might even smile freely for once, no pressure to live up to his father’s expectations. He’d probably almost look as cute as Chat if he smiled like him.

_It wouldn’t be the first thing they’d have in common._

Both liking Ladybug, both having blonde hair, both... _having a hurt ankle?_

As the fog in my mind fades a little, my eyes flutter back open. What were the chances that they both would hurt themselves in the same exact spot, around the same time? My head throbs as I furrow my brows. Adrien _did_ seem a little too knowledgeable about the fight I had with Ladybug…

Feeling exhausted, I struggle to continue my line of thought. Something didn’t make sense, but my tired, fog-filled brain couldn’t understand. Chest growing heavy with every breath, my eyelids are unable to stay open, sliding closed as I let out one last inaudible laugh.

_So this is what dying feels like…_

…

…

…

…

…

…

Taking a deep, borderline painful breath, I lurch forward and clutch at my chest as I cough. Stuttered half-breaths have me wheezing as fresh tears gather in my eyes. What happened? _What happened?_

Struggling to recall everything as my breathing begins to even out, I glance around the pristine looking art gallery. Stilling, I stare at the spot on the ground that was now sparkly clean. That’s right, I…

_I think I died._

Tensing uncomfortably at the realization, I tear my gaze away from the floor and quickly stand. A little wobbly, I lean with my hand on the wall as I gather my bearings. It seemed impossible to wrap my head around. Dying was a sort of permanent thing after all. But here I was.

_Alive._

If Ladybug’s Miraculous was really that powerful...just imagining the damage Hawk Moth could deal with it was a horrifying thought. Running a hand through my hair, I step away from the wall with a heaviness in my chest. He couldn’t get his hands on something so powerful. No matter the cost.

“Lapin!”

Before I could get too into my head, two voices call out to me and I barely have time to look up from the ground before a small blur throws themselves at me.

Stumbling back, we topple over and I land on my butt with a shocked yelp.

“I’m so sorry for everything!” Ladybug cries, clinging to my neck with a vice-like grip.

“W-What?” My eyes widen as I glance down at her and then up at Chat, who was standing over me with a relieved expression.

“You were right about the sarcophagus and I should’ve listened instead of being stubborn and we’re so glad you’re okay!”

My heart skips as a small flame of hope ignites in my chest. If they were glad I was okay, then they had to care about me at least a little, right?

Chat finally grins, wide and full of relief. “Your _feline_ fine now I take it?”

I nod, mouth suddenly dry. It wasn’t good for my heart to have him smiling at me like that. Unwinding Ladybug from around me, Chat’s quick to offer a hand as I pull myself up.

But instead of letting go when I’m on my feet, he pulls me close and wraps his arms around me, squeezing hard enough to hurt. “Don’t…” he takes a deep breath, his head falling on my shoulder as he sighs. “Try not to get stabbed anymore, okay?”

I reach around, hands flat on his lower back. “Trust me, kitty, it’s the last thing on my mind,” I say, bumping the side of my head against his while my heart threatens to pound out of my chest.

His Miraculous bleeps loudly and he pulls away with reluctant sigh. “Looks like I’ve gotta go. Vet’s appointment.” He grins while backing away. “I’m sure you two understand. Take care of the young lady though, will ya?”

With him disappearing down the stairs, I knead at my shoulder nervously as I meet Ladybug’s eyes.

“We really have to talk, Lapin,” she starts, noticing the way I wince. “Not today, but promise me we will soon, okay?”

Her begging look has me tensing. “Yeah...I promise.” I always was weak towards puppy dog eyes.

She smiles, finally turning to deal with the dark-haired girl behind her. Though she pauses long enough to say, “And please quit avoiding us. We miss you.”

I almost groan. She was playing dirty. Knowing that hearing they missed me would get me less skittish towards them. Sighing lightly, I run my hand through my hair. Maybe it was because I almost died (or did), but all I wanted was for things to get better between the three of us. It was embarrassing to admit, but I probably missed them twice as much as they missed me.

Heading out of the art wing, I leap over the railing and land on the floor below. Nothing but a hot shower would ease the lingering tension in my shoulders right now. Spotting Adrien heading up the stairs, I’m relieved that he at least seems to be walking properly with no signs of lingering pain.

Leaving the museum, I wave off the cop cars surrounding the entrance before making my way back home. When I reach the block the flower shop is on, I drop down in the alley next to it and transform back.

Blann, luckily, doesn’t pepper me with questions about dying. Instead giving me a quick peck on the nose before slipping into the pocket of my returned hoodie. Noticing that I was also wearing my drawstring bag again as well, I fix my headband before taking a deep breath and round the corner. Only getting the glass door open half-way, Aunt Claire jumps forward, grabbing my face and peppering kisses all over.

“Thank goodness! I was worried something happened!” She pulls back, eyes sweeping over my body for any injuries. “Nothing _did_ happen, right?”

“I’m fine, Aunt Claire,” I chuckle lightly, slipping out of her hold. “I just laid low while the Akuma alert was active is all.”

She sighs in relief, hand resting over her heart. “That’s good. I didn’t want to leave to pick up Maddie while you were still gone.”

I look behind her at the clock on the wall, just now realizing the time. “You can go ahead and leave. I’m just going to take a shower and then a quick nap before dinner.”

“Okay.” She nods, grabbing the keys out of her apron pocket. “Don’t worry about locking up, I’ll do it before I leave. And Maddie will want the bathroom to herself as soon as she gets home so you better go ahead and take a shower while I’m gone,” she says with a laugh as she sets her apron on the table next to the door.

Nodding, I say a quick goodbye before heading upstairs, the shower practically singing my name.

“Do you feel any different? After...you know…?” Blann asks, sitting on the back of the toilet as I turn on the hot water.

“It...felt a little like waking up from a nightmare, I guess,” I answer while pulling off my sweatshirt. “For a second it felt like drowning before realizing I wasn’t even underwater.”

_It was dizzyingly terrifying._

Though I don’t tell Blann that, settling on busying myself with quickly stripping off the rest of my clothes before stepping into the shower.

Letting out a groan as the hot water eases the tension in my shoulders, I just take a minute to decompress. Today was long, too many mistakes causing me to get hurt. Not to mention dying. That was the biggest one. I didn’t want to admit it outloud, but it really was terrifying. Though I’ve come to terms with my near suicidal need to protect Ladybug and Chat, it was still gut wrenching to imagine the effect my death would have on the people I loved. And it might be horrible to say, but I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping someone safe.

Shaking my head, I refuse to head down that line of thought. “How’d that show you were watching yesterday end? The one with the superheroes?” I ask, hoping to distract myself with Blann’s rambling.

He gasps, almost stumbling over his words in his excitement. “One of his friends turned out to be a traitor! She was secretly working with the villains the whole time! It was so sad! Not to mention _how_ they found out…”

Smiling to myself as he rambles on and on while I finish my shower, he’s just finishing up the summary of the episode as I step out of the tub. Drying off as he starts to talk about something completely unrelated (the latest late night tv show), I wrap the towel securely around my waist before quickly heading up to my room.

Getting dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and white joggers, I toss the towel in the hamper before finally falling onto the sofa at the end of my bed with a sigh. With my feet hanging off the end, my shoulder pops as I stretch out my arms before I close my eyes. Feeling Blann land on my chest, he wiggles around until he’s comfortable and lets out a tired yawn.

_Looks like I wasn’t the only one exhausted from today._

Slipping further down the sofa, my fingers brush along the top of his head softly as I try to fall asleep.

Only a tapping on my balcony door has me reopening my eyes. With Blann slinking off to hide somewhere, I push myself up and head to the door, a serious looking Chat Noir (who else) greeting me .

Resisting the urge to fuss with my no doubt crazy hair, I can’t help but to be a little confused. “Uh...hello?”

“Hey.” He flashes me a small smile as he steps into my room before frowning. “We need to talk.”

My stomach drops as I nod hastily, a thousand horrible things flashing through my mind.

“It’s about the Akuma attack today.”

I suck in a sharp breath. He finally figured out that I was Lapin and now he was here to confront me. “What about it?”

He sits on the edge of my bed and stares up at me with a hollow smile. “While I personally enjoy dramatic entrances and daring rescues, you have to stop throwing yourself at villains. Like today with Riposte.”

I lean against my desk, crossing my arms as my ears burn. “She was going to hurt one of my friends…” I answer quietly.

“But you aren’t invincible.” He looks away, leaning forward and cradling his head in his hands with a heavy sigh. “Just like he isn’t either…”

It doesn’t take a genius to know who he was thinking about.

My heart aches and I can’t tear my eyes away. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, with so many thoughts and feelings coiled up inside that it was choking him.

Realizing I was reaching for him, I quickly drop my hand and chew at the inside of my cheek. I didn’t know how to comfort someone. I wasn’t like Aunt Claire, who was a natural at it, I was just me, a little too stiff and a little too closed off. What was I supposed to say? _“Hey, sorry that I not only got involved as a civilian but also got stabbed as well as Lapin!”_

Almost missing the way his shoulders quiver, my thoughts stall as my chest tightens. _He was crying_. In four long strides I’m quickly at his side, sitting beside him quietly. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries, but I couldn’t bring myself to ignore him.

Chat tries to discreetly wipe his tears, turning to look at me with a practiced grin. “Don’t worry, I’m _feline_ fine.”

Staring into his reddening eyes, I can’t hold myself back anymore. Reaching for him, I pause only for the briefest moment before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him into my chest.

He falls silent before giving a weak chuckle, though not pulling away. “Lapin almost died today,” he whispers, voice small and weak. Like just saying it was enough to almost break him. “The sword…” he takes a shuddering breath, hands snaking up my back to grab fistfuls of my shirt. “It went almost all the way through him. I thought...I thought he, that he…” He chokes on his own words, burying his head into the crook of my neck with a strangled cry.

My breath hitches in surprise as I try to remember what Aunt Claire would do. Settling on pulling him even tighter against me, I hesitantly place my hand on the back of his head, slowly running my fingers through the messy locks when he doesn’t object. His hair felt as soft as it looked, and for once I was okay with being gloveless.

Breathing in the smell of his shampoo, I lean closer and continue running my fingers through his hair. I didn’t have the right words to ease his worries, but at least I could hug him while he cried.

His soft cries eventually die down, trailing off into quiet hiccups as he catches his breath. Slipping my hand out of his hair and leaning back to look at him, I smile softly, silently amazed at how he could still look so breathtaking a snotty, tear-stained mess.

“Sorry,” he laughs weakly. “Nothing better than seeing your favorite hero a snotty mess, am I right?”

I shake my head, hoping he sees the earnestness in my eyes. “I still like you. Everyone’s entitled to feeling upset. Even heroes.” I pause, before adding, “ _Especially heroes._ ”

He lets out another weak laugh, though it sounds a little less strained than before.

Watching as a few remaining tears gather in the corner of his eyes, I reach up and rest my hand on his cheek so he can’t look away. “I mean it, Chat. It’s okay to not be okay sometimes,” I offer softly, brushing away a few stray tears that gather in the corner of his eye.

Touching him felt amazing. It wasn’t the same as Aunt Claire or Madeleine though. _No_. It was so, so different. So much more. The smoothness of his skin under my fingertips, the way he just felt _alive_ and _warm._ For once, I wasn’t afraid of touching someone with my bare hands, letting them see the horrible proof of my childhood scattered across them. Instead, it felt exhilarating. Sending a thrill up my spine that almost had me short of breath.

_I never knew touching someone could feel so amazing._

“I think I heard that somewhere before,” he says, smirking as his eyes shine with laughter.

My pulse picks up at his smile and I can’t help but to raise my brows. “Let me guess, Adrien, right?” I question jokingly.

“You’re never supposed to reveal your sources,” he quips.

Chuckling lightly, I brush my thumb back across his cheek, blinking as his eyes flutter closed and a soft rumbling sounds from deep in his chest. Was he... _purring?_ Overjoyed at the discovery, I choose not to say anything, opting to lean closer to better hear. Unable to keep my grin hidden, it softens the longer I look at his relaxed face.

_He was beautiful..._

“Hm, what did you say?” Chat mumbles, green eyes fluttering open to lock on my own grey ones.

Breath hitching at the dazed look in his eyes, my stomach clenches as he presses closer into the palm of my hand. The movement igniting something deep within me.

Finding myself shifting forward, butterflies erupt in my stomach as Chat does the same, eyes still locked with mine. It was hard to ignore the charged tension in the air, but my addled mind can’t be bothered to waste precious resources on it. _Not with the way he was looking at me._

Tilting my head as I lean a fraction closer, my whole body feels like it’s on fire, the sensation only growing worse as his left hand slides up to rest on my forearm. His breath fanning across my face, a fresh smell of mint floods my nose. _He must’ve brushed his teeth before coming here._

At this point if you asked me my name I wouldn’t be able to tell you. It was impossible to think of anything else except how amazing he looked. How _badly_ I wanted to kiss him.

Glancing down at his parted mouth, my hand slides into his hair, fingers threading through the golden locks as I slowly close the small distance between us. “Chat…” I breathe his name as I lean closer, low and deep in my chest, the hand on my arm tightening as his bright green eyes stare deep into mine.

Then a series of loud, energetic knocks breaks whatever spell we were under.

“Evan! Mom said dinner’s ready!” Madeleine shouts.

Blushing furiously, I shove Chat away and stand. “G-Give me a minute!” I shout back, voice cracking as my heart threatens to pound out of my chest. Daring a glance over at a now standing Chat, we make accidental eye contact before we both quickly look away. He was just as red as I was. A bright color peeking out from under his mask as proof.

Feeling the heat in my face worsen, I clear my throat and fix my gaze on the floor.

“I, uh, should probably go,” Chat blurts out, his own voice uneven as he no doubt feels as awkward as me.

“Yeah…” I trail off, watching his back as he heads towards the balcony door. I had to apologize. I didn’t want him to misunderstand. Think I was...I don’t know, maybe taking advantage or something. Taking a step towards him, I reach forward with his name on the tip of my tongue.

“Evan, _come on!_ She ordered take out and I don’t want it to get cold!”

Any courage quickly evaporates as I let my arm fall to my side uselessly, Chat disappearing into the darkening sky with a quick peek over his shoulder.

Now alone, I cover my steaming face with my hands. How could I ever face him again?

“ _Evan!_ ” Madeleine whines loudly, and I groan in response.

I was frustrated, though whether it was from almost kissing him or being interrupted was anyone’s guess.

Spotting a grinning, sparkly-eyed Blann getting ready to open his mouth, I narrow my eyes at him. I already knew what he was going to say.

“ _Not a word._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took quite a while to finish lol but I'm pretty happy with the results. It's got angst, mortal injuries, and and almost kiss. My favorites. I do apologize if anyone was a bit put off by Lapin literally dying there for a moment, but I felt it was sort of a wake up call about how dangerous the whole situation really is. And maybe emotions were riding high when they almost kissed...or maybe Adrien's just starting to at least be a little aware of our boy Evan...But who knows lol  
> I really do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because I actually had a blast writing it (definitely not because I just love making poor Evan suffer. I promise!) 
> 
> Also, my recreation of the almost kiss! -> [Link ](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/625926363446149120/behold-the-almost-kiss-i-wanted-to-try-a-more)


	6. Befana

“Are you really sure she’ll like it?” I question for the dozenth time, biting the inside of my cheek as I twirl a piece of the friendship necklace around in the air. It was a simple silver puzzle piece that, when connected to the other two, made up a small heart. Madeleine had helped me pick it out since I didn’t have the faintest idea on what to get Marinette for her birthday. I knew the three core things she liked (Adrien, fashion, and Jagged Stone) but it wasn’t like I had any clue how to make any of those into a present. She already had a bunch of Jagged Stone’s albums and I didn’t know the first thing about clothes or fashion. 

I _did_ briefly think about printing out a glossy poster sized picture of Adrien, though Alya’s uncontrollable giggling at the suggestion had me reconsidering. 

“She’ll love it!” Madeleine states with a large, toothy grin. “It shows her that you really enjoy being around them. Me and Tanya have a milk and cookie one! See?” She holds out her small cookie necklace with an excited look.

Smiling, I reach over the table and ruffle her hair, laughing as she swats me away with a giggle. “I’ll make sure to tell her it was all your idea if she hates it,” I say, leaning back with a grin as she sticks her tongue out at me before glancing up at the clock. Looks like it was almost time to leave. Everyone was supposed to meet up at the park to set up for the surprise party for Marinette. 

Putting the last piece of the necklace back in the box, I place it in the colorful gift bag before standing. Grabbing the bag full of streamers on the counter, I say goodbye to Madeleine before heading downstairs. 

Aunt Claire notices me as I pass by, looking back to flash me a large smile while ringing up the customer. “Have fun at the party, sweetie!” she calls out, and I nod, ears burning as I leave out the back. 

It was the first time I’ve been invited to a birthday party, if we’re not counting first grade, and I was actually a little excited. Not to mention it was a _surprise_ party. 

Quickly making my way to the park, I spot Alya unfolding tables. “Hey,” I greet, placing the bags on the edge of the stage. “I brought the streamers like you wanted.”

“That’s great! Everyone should be arriving soon so we can really start setting up then.” She pats off the dust on her jeans with a grin. “Marinette’s gonna _flip_ when she sees everything set up!”

I chuckle at her enthusiasm. “I’m sure she will, especially with Adrien coming.”

“Speaking of Adrien,” her eyes narrow as she pokes her finger in my chest, “what’s with the weird vibe between you guys lately?”

I almost groan at the reminder, scratching the side of my head as I shrug. “I don’t know...everything was fine up until that morning…”

_As soon as I enter the classroom, I spot Nino and Adrien already in their seats in the front row. Catching Nino’s eye, I wave as I head over to them. “Good morning,” I greet, smiling lightly at the two._

_“Mornin’, dude,” Nino greets back, nudging the silent blonde beside him when he doesn’t say anything._

_“Oh! Uh, hey, Evan…” Adrien greets before quickly burying his head back in his book._

_My smile falls along with my hand, confusion flashing through me. It almost felt like he was avoiding me. Nino shares a curious look with me but ultimately shrugs it off, prompting me to do the same. With the bell ringing, I say a quick goodbye before making my way towards my seat in the back. If he didn’t want to talk I wasn’t going to make him._

“And remember what happened in the science room?” Alya says as she crosses her arms. 

_Goggles strapped tightly on my face, I glance over at Adrien as he sits almost a full arms length away. Frowning, I resist the urge to ask about the weird distance that was weighing down almost every conversation we’ve had. Instead I clear my throat and motion to the paper in front of him._

_“Can I take a look at the instructions real quick?” I ask. “I want to double-check my part of the project.”_

_“Sure,” he answers immediately, thrusting out the paper towards me while avoiding eye-contact._

_“Thanks…” I trail off, grabbing the slightly crinkled instructions._

_Our gloved hands brushing against each other, he recoils clumsily, throwing himself backwards and causing the chair to topple over. Crashing to the ground, he groans painfully while rubbing the back of his head._

_Noticing the harsh red coloring his cheeks, the science teacher snaps at us for wasting time before I could help him up._

_Picking up his stool with an awkward laugh, a dark feeling swirls in my gut when he positions himself just as far away as before. What was his problem?_

“We ran into each other in the restroom too…” I sigh, already feeling my face warm.

_Drying off my hands, I glance over at the opening door as Adrien walks in._

_Freezing when he spots me, his face reddens before he clears his throat. “Fancy meeting you here…”_

_“This_ is _the school bathroom,” I state with a cocked brow, while slipping on my gloves._

_He opens his mouth to say something, instead falling silent while staring at me with furrowed brows._

_“What?” I question, retying the flannel around my waist to avoid his intense stare._

_“Do you…”_

_I give him a questioning look as he trails off. “Do I what?”_

_“You know, about Chat Noir?”_

_“What…?”_

_His cheeks redden slightly as he shakes his head. “Uh, forget it. It’s not important.” Turning to leave with a heavy frown, he hesitates at the door for a moment before swinging it shut behind him._

_“Is he okay?” Blann whispers, peeking out of the camera case worriedly._

_I sigh heavily. “I honestly don’t know.”_

“I have no idea what I did to upset him…” I sigh, scratching the shaved part of my undercut. It wasn’t too bad when others were around, but when it was just the two of us…

Alya pats my arm sympathetically. “I wouldn’t sweat it too much. Boys can be annoyingly hard to understand sometimes.”

“But I’m a boy too…?” I trail off, looking down at her with a confused frown.

“That just makes it double the confusion,” she answers with her own sigh, before her eyes light up at the text on her phone. “Looks like everyone’s going to be here soon! Come on. Help me set the rest of the tables up for the food.” 

Dragging me towards the pile of folded tables, I follow her lead and begin setting them up wherever she tells me. With her placing the tablecloths on them, we make quick work of setting up the bare basics as the first group of classmates start arriving. 

“Let’s get this party started!” Kim grins, high-fiving Max as they set their things on the table.

“I brought the balloons and Kim has the lights,” Max states, fixing his glasses as he looks around. “I assume Marinette will still be arriving at four o’clock as stated?”

“Yeah. She still has _no_ idea what’s going down either,” Alya says with a smirk.

“I can’t wait to see the look on her face,” a new voice says, Nino throwing his arm around her shoulder. 

Noticing Adrien by his side, I look away and knead at my shoulder. 

“Oh, she’s going to _freak_. Especially…” she side-eyes the blonde with a wicked smirk, “with everyone that’s showing up.”

Shaking my head with a smile, I let my nerves settle. Maybe I’d get lucky and Adrien wouldn’t be so nervous around me today.

Standing idly by as more and more people show, it finally looks like most of the class was here.

“Okay!” Alya claps, bringing everyone’s attention to her. “Now that everyone’s here we can get started! Here’s to giving Marinette the _greatest_ surprise party ever!” 

Clapping along with everyone as a few cheer, Alya stops me from wandering away with a glint in her eye. “You, don’t move,” she orders, before quickly heading over to Adrien.

Not liking the situation, I debate the odds of me getting away before she could put in motion whatever she had planned. I wasn’t one to force my presence on others, so if Adrien felt uncomfortable around me then I’d stay away until he was okay. 

_...Even if it hurt my feelings a little…_

“Okay, Evan,” Alya rushes back to me, a nervous smiling Adrien in tow. “You and Adrien are going to hang up the banners and lights around the area.” She shoves him at me. “Have fun!” _And make up!_ She mouths the last part to me before practically disappearing. 

Feeling my ears burn, I step back to give him some space and scratch the side of my head. “Sorry,” I apologize, though for what I’m not quite sure.

“No, It’s fine.” He shakes his head, rubbing the back of his neck. The air quickly turns awkward and I want nothing more than to fade out of existence. 

What happened between us that had everything so painfully tense?

“Uh...you don’t have to help me…if it makes you uncomfortable...” I trail off, tugging nervously at my gloves. 

“ _What?_ ” he almost shouts, eyes wide in alarm. “You don’t--I’m not...please believe me when I say you don’t make me uncomfortable,” he pleads.

Surprised at his earnest expression, the tips of my ears burn and I find myself nodding. “Okay...if you say so,” I mumble, scuffing my foot against the ground as I reign in my blush. Spotting the ladder leaning against the stage, I pick up the bag of lights. “Do you want to steady the ladder or string the lights and banners up?” 

Glancing around our area of the park, he answers with, “I can hang them up.”

Nodding, I hand him the first bag before we head over towards the stage. Pointing out the bag of banners I brought, he takes those as well as I set up the ladder against the tree next to the stage. 

“Don’t let me fall, okay?” he jokes, flashing me a grin.

“Never,” I answer quickly, seriously. Maybe a little too seriously because his foot misses a rung just as I finish speaking. Even though he was still close to the ground, my hand instinctively steadys him, resting low on his back so he couldn’t fall off. “Should I do it instead?” I question, shifting around him so I can see his face.

Cheeks red, he locks eyes with me briefly before shaking his head. “I can do it. I was just distracted for a moment is all.”

I eye him warily before leaning back around with a sigh. “Please be careful.” Taking my hand off his back, I steady the ladder as he continues to climb up until he reaches high enough to place the banners.

“Did you get Marinette anything?” he asks, glancing down at me briefly while he untangles everything.

“Yeah…” I make a noise in the back of my throat, face warming. Admitting I bought friendship necklaces was a little embarrassing. 

“Me too. I made her a lucky charm, like the one she gave me for the gaming tournament.”

 _Look at Marinette go._ “That’s really nice, Adrien. I’m sure she’ll love it,” I say warmly, smiling at the knowledge that he was thinking of her, even a little. 

“O-Oh? You think so?” he flusters, making his way back down the ladder, done with hooking it to the branch. 

Stepping to the side so he can get down, my smile only grows when he turns to me. “Definitely,” I state, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair like I’d do to Madeleine. 

He seems to choke on his words, cheeks reddening before he turns and coughs into his hand. “Let’s string them up this way.” Pointing at the other tree to our left, I grab the ladder and follow behind him before repeating the same motion of holding it for him all over again.

The cycle repeats a couple more times, idle small talk passing between the two of us as he climbs up and down the rickety ladder. He doesn’t misstep anymore, though that doesn’t stop me from tensing up in preparation, and it almost feels like the past week of awkwardness never happened. 

“And with this I think we’re finished.” Tying up the last of the banners and lights, Adrien wipes at his brow, looking down at me with a grin. 

It makes my pulse race, much to my surprise. The odd familiarity of it almost leaving me breathless. Then I’m reminded of my almost kiss with Chat. The clenching in my gut as my face burns a stark reminder of the intense... _intensity_ of that night. 

“Does Alya need help with anything else?” Adrien questions, already halfway down the ladder when I look back up at him.

Glancing over at said girl, she was looking more than content helping Nino fine tune the music selection. Stepping out of the way so he has more room to maneuver to the ground, I almost jump out of my skin as something lands on the top of my head. 

“Don’t panic,” Adrien starts, looking up at the chittering assaulter with wonder, “but a bird just landed on your head.”

Feeling thin, dull nails gripping at my scalp, I wince and quickly bring my hand up above my head. “I know. It’s _Kleine Dieb_ ,” I answer, lowering my hand when I feel the magpie settling on my finger. 

“I think I remember Nino saying you were like a disney princess or something. Guess he was talking about this,” Adrien motions to the little thief with a large grin.

I shrug lightly, hoping my embarrassment wasn’t too noticeable on my face as I mumble, “It’s not a big deal.”

The bird continues to make noise, tilting its head back and forth while hopping up and down. Most likely expecting a treat.

“Sorry, little guy, I didn’t bring anything today.” I smile apologetically, wishing I would’ve stuffed a handful of nuts or something in my pocket before I left.

Adrien looks around conspiratorially before leaning in to whisper, “I could probably steal a cookie off one of the trays.”

With furrowed brows I glance over at the dessert filled table. “Alya would be furious.”

“Only if I get caught,” he states with a wink.

Watching him casually make his way towards the table with the cookies, I almost forget about the magpie perched on my finger because of the shock. I would’ve expected something like that from Chat (or truthfully me) but not from Mr. Nice himself. 

With his back to me, he pauses at the table before spinning around with a grin. Holding his outer shirt tight to his chest, he motions to the water fountain with a jerk of his head.

Glancing around to make sure we weren’t being watched, I nod lightly before sneaking off to the middle of the park.

Reaching the fountain a few moments before Adrien, I sit on the ledge of it, Kleine Dieb’s huffy chittering making me chuckle as the blonde sits next to me. Pulling not one, but _two_ cookies out of his shirt, he holds one out with a proud smile.

“Told you I could get them.”

I roll my eyes, taking one of the offered cookies with an amused smile. “I’m sure _Kleine Dieb_ is forever grateful.” Settling the magpie down between us, I crumble the cookie up into small pieces and spread it around. 

Immediately pecking at the food, the bird chitters out it’s version of children laughing.

“Is it laughing?” Adrien questions, confusion dancing across his face.

I nod as I brush the crumbs off my gloves. “Yeah, magpies can mimic things they hear. Like car alarms or dogs barking.”

“Really? That’s amazing!” he states, eyes wide in amazement. 

Trying to hide a grin at his child-like wonder, I’m quite pleased that I was responsible for that expression. It felt like I was always learning things from others, so it was nice to be the teacher for once.

Locking eyes with him when he glances up from the bird, he quickly looks away, the faintest hint of red catching my attention as he rubs the back of his neck. Shifting my attention down to the still laughing bird as the atmosphere grows awkward once again, I only look back up when he clears his throat.

“Here,” he holds out a broken half of the second cookie, cheeks still a soft red. “I figured we could split it.”

I blink at him before taking the treat, my gloved fingers brushing against his. Almost missing the way he tenses at the slight touch, I pull away and hide the sting in my chest with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”

Despite his discomfort he still returns the smile. “Don’t mention it,” he says with a shrug, taking a bite out of his cookie as we fall back into silence. 

Shifting my focus back to the magpie as I begin eating mine as well, it’s excited hopping around makes me almost chuckle. 

“Can it make any more sounds?” Adrien asks suddenly after a few moments of silence.

Glancing up at him as he continues peering down at the bird curiously, I hum thoughtfully as I think back to my visits at the park. “I think I’ve heard it do a car alarm before,” I state, furrowing my brows as I think harder. “Maybe a dog barking too.”

“They must be pretty smart,” he wonders outloud, shifting closer for a better look.

I make a noise of agreement while swallowing the last bit of my cookie. “According to my, uh...my doctor,” I settle on being nonspecific about _what_ kind of doctor, “they’re one of the smartest animals to exist.” 

He nods. “I read that dolphins are pretty smart too.”

Apparently finished with its meal, Kleine Dieb pecks at the seam of my jeans before cawing loudly and flying away. 

Watching it go, I turn back to Adrien, nearly bumping foreheads with how close we were.

“Sorry!” he fumbles, pulling away and standing fast enough that I can’t even see his face. With my own apology on the tip of my tongue, he clears his throat and motions towards the party. “I should check in with Alya and see if she needs any help,” he states quickly, not even glancing back as he basically runs away from me.

Gone before I could say anything, I practically deflate, hunching my shoulders to stare at my tennis shoes with a frown. We were fine, chatting like nothing was wrong just a moment ago...so what happened? 

“Don’t look so upset, Evan,” a quiet voice squeaks, Blann’s big, pink eyes staring up at me sadly from my now open camera case.

Looking around cautiously before answering, I hunch over more and prop my elbows on my knees to hide the small Kwami. “I just want to know what I did,” I sigh quietly, hand running through my hair as my shoulders sag. 

“He’s probably just struggling with stuff right now,” he answers softly. 

I let out another long exhale, really wanting to believe the tiny rabbit’s words. “He’s only awkward and weird around me though.”

He whines, and I can easily imagine him kicking his feet with a pout while he huffs, “I _really_ want to give you a hug right now!”

Snorting in amusement despite my falling mood, I shove away my angsty thoughts and sit up straight. “How about when we get home?” I offer, flashing the Kwami a quick smile before closing the camera case and standing. Today was Marinette’s birthday and here I was feeling all sorry for myself instead of helping set up. _Some friend I was._

Heading back to the mostly set up party, I avoid looking over at Adrien, who was talking to Nino by one of the tables, and wave at Alya who’s busy on the phone. Hearing a loud _pop_ , I look over at the group dealing with the balloons. Seeing Kim on the ground with balloon pieces scattered between him and Nathanael, I make brief eye contact with the redhead before he snaps his gaze in the opposite direction, face almost matching his hair color. 

_At least some things never changed…_

Turning back to Alya as she ends the call, she places a hand above her heart. “I don’t think she suspects anything yet,” she says with a relieved sigh, before giving me a mischievous smirk. “So, how’d it go with Adrien? You two back to being best buds?”

I look to the side with a shrug. “I think? I mean, we were able to have a normal conversation at least.”

“It’s still progress!” she enthuses, poking my chest with a playful wink. 

“I’m pretty sure you’re the only one that thinks that,” I huff, though there’s no real malice behind my words.

She tuts at me, waggling her finger as she shakes her head, “Always such a pessimist, Evan.”

I smooth down the front of my shirt and shrug again, remarking, “I prefer the term realist myself.” 

She rolls her eyes with a small sigh of amusement before glancing at her phone. “I’m gonna go wait by the entrance of the park so the birthday girl can’t see everything set up,” she says, pocketing her phone before heading off to intercept Marinette with a wave.

Fiddling with my gloves as I watch her go, I glance around the now completely set up party and can’t help but smile. Marinette was going to love this.

A few minutes pass as everyone gathers in front of the stage, eagerly awaiting the dark haired girl's arrival. 

Spotting Alya leading her towards us with a blindfold tied around her eyes, I suddenly grow nervous at the prospect of her hating my gift. All it was was a necklace that I bought at the store. Not some amazing homemade lucky charm like Adriens.

The girls reach us and Alya pulls off her blindfold. Swallowing my growing anxiety, I shout a _Happy birthday, Marinette_ along with everyone else.

With Marinette thanking everyone, rather obvious who most of her attention is focused on, I stick to the back of the group as people start to hand her their presents. Only growing more nervous with every amazing gift she’s given, I clutch the small gift bag as my stomach churns uneasily. 

_I should’ve gotten something different._

“Aren’t you going to give her your present?” Nino asks, leaning against the stage next to me. 

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I’ll, uh, give it to her in a minute,” I answer, face burning in shame as I avoid his curious gaze.

“Alright, dude, but you might have to wait. Adrien’s about to show all of you up,” he points to Adrien and Marinette, whose wide-eyed at the unopened present in her hands. 

Alya closes her jaw, probably whispering for her to “ _get it together”_ or something similar. 

Despite my crushing anxiety, I laugh at the awkward expression that takes the place of her shock. Though it is short-lived as a voice rings above us.

“ _La Befana comes at night on her broom in flight,_ ” she sings, and I narrow my eyes as a green-skinned, red haired woman flies down around us. “ _She gives out candy to those who are dandy!_ ” 

Jumping off her broom, she lands in front of Marinette, who exclaims, “ _Grandma?_ ”

“You lied to your grandmother, Marinetta,” the new akumatized villain scolds, it taking everything in me not to shove myself in between the two.

“No, I…I didn’t know Alya was throwing a surprise party for me,” Marinette says quickly as she steps back.

“She’s for real, ma’am,” Alya states, spreading her arm in front of the dark haired girl with a nod.

“And all those candies you pretended to be eating?” she counters, and I notice the odd looking gun in her hand with a sharp inhale. 

As Marinette apologizes I shuffle closer, ready to pull them away if that gun was more than just for show.

“I’m not your grandma any more,” the villain says sharply. “From now on I am only Befana...and I’m going to punish you for all those lies!” 

The gun goes off before I could move, though Marinette ducks down just in time for the glowing orb to fly over her. Though unfortunately it hits an unprepared Mylene.

Nearly freezing as the bullet turns her into a statue, I push past the shock and run towards them. Grabbing both of the girls by the wrist, I pull along while looking for some place to hide them.

Before we could get very far, a masked, winged woman cuts Marinette off from me and Alya. Ready to rush back to save her, I let out a strangled yelp as Alya drags me behind the bushes by the back of my collar.

“No heroics today, mister.” She pulls me down with narrowed eyes. “I totally remember how you busted up your face when The Pharaoh had us captured. _So. Stay. Put._ ”

Bristling at her command, I begrudgingly agree, glaring out at Marinette and her akumatized grandmother. Noticing Chat landing on one of the speakers, my heart skips as the sight of him sends me reeling back to what almost happened in my bedroom last week. 

Feeling my face warm as I watch him, I’m quickly thrown back to the present when the akumatized woman points her gun at the blocked off Marinette. 

Before she could pull the trigger Chat throws his staff, knocking the weapon away and snarkily saying, “I never knew grandmas could be so nasty!”

“You’ll look wonderful in white, my pretty kitty!” Befana says, quickly shooting a glowing bullet at him. 

Tilting his head to the side as it harmlessly flies passed him, looking ridiculously smug. “I’m not convinced. I’m much more into black.” He flashes peace signs, posing cutely with a grin. “Makes my eyes stand out, don’t you think?”

I can’t help but crack a small grin at his theatrics, though I quickly refocus my attention to a still trapped Marinette. My stomach twists nervously as I chew my lower lip. Ladybug was hardly ever late, always just on time to save the day.

_So where was she?_

There was a brief thought of somehow sneaking away and helping, but with the tight grip Alya has on the camera strap around my neck I didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

Glancing back up as Befana sneers frustratedly at missing all of her attempts to shoot Chat, my fingers dig into my thighs as she demands the winged woman to “ _take care of that pussycat!”_

I should be out there, getting Marinette somewhere safe and helping Chat, not hiding behind some bush watching it all unfold. 

“We gotta help Marinette!” Alya whispers loudly, the dark-haired girl now cornered on the stage. Quickly nodding as everyone else agrees, I follow after her as we sneak over to the tables filled with desserts. 

Gathering up the string lights at the table for a makeshift rope, I break off with Kim and head towards the stage. “If you can get her to the ground I can tie her up with these,” I whisper, showing him the coiled wires in my arms.

“Got it,” he nods with a set brow, moving ahead of me as we crouch down by the stage’s stairs, Befana’s back to us.

“The time has come to teach you a lesson!” she sneers at Marinette, gun pointed at her.

Barely reminding myself to stay down, a plate goes whizzing by the akumatized woman’s face, breaking her concentration.

“Marinette is not a liar!” Alya shouts, throwing more plates at the woman with a fierce glare.

The gun is quickly turned on her. “Someone should teach you some table manners,” Befana says, and I have to physically cover my mouth to stop from yelling Alya’s name as the glowing bullet turns her into a statue, just like Mylene.

Panicked, Kim charges at the villain, my hand barely brushing his leg as he gets ready to barrel into her.

And just like Alya he’s turned to stone with a single shot of her gun.

“That’s what you get for stealing candy, you bunch of ill-mannered brats!” she seethes, pointing at everyone by the tables.

Clenching my jaw tight enough to hurt, I hide more behind the speaker. _Patience was key here,_ I had to remind myself. Being my usual impulsive self would only end badly. 

“Don’t touch Marinette!” Rose suddenly yells. “She’s only the nicest person in the world!”

Befana puts her hands on her hips. “Hmm. It’s very disrespectful to speak up without permission.” She points her gun at the quivering girl before looking away thoughtfully. “But then again, it’s quite noble of you to stick up for your friends…”

Before I could take advantage of her being distracted, she turns back to the group and I quickly duck back behind the speaker.

“Okay, I shall make you a fairy!” she boasts, the chamber in her gun spinning before she shoots Rose with a glowing bullet.

Cursing in my head as the poor girl is turned into one of Befana’s flying minions, I tense up even more as the villain continues to speak.

“You are going to help me discipline your friends!” she laughs, my teeth aching from the tension in my jaw.

Noticing Marinette sneaking down behind the stage, I glance at the smug villain before quietly turning the corner to reach her.

“ _Marinette!_ ” I hiss softly, grabbing her shoulder when I’m close enough. 

She barely manages to reign in her voice as she looks over at me. “Evan? What are you doing?”

I shake my head, shifting closer so the still gloating villain doesn’t overhear. “We need to get you somewhere safe,” I whisper tensely, not quite sure just how to do that yet.

A crash sounds from somewhere behind a moment before Chat lands next to us. “I couldn’t agree more,” he says quietly, cat ears twitching as his eyes briefly lock on mine before focusing on Marinette and offering his hand. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we then?”

She hesitates, casting a glance back at me worriedly. 

“I’ll be fine,” I state before lightly nudging her towards him, eyes meeting Chat’s bright green ones. “Please keep her safe.”

“Don’t worry, she’ll be _paw_ right with me,” he winks before taking her hand and pulling her close, extending his staff as they rise to the roof.

Overhearing Befana order her minions to catch them, I peek over the bottom of the stage and am honestly a little surprised at the sight before me.

The rest of the group were using the banners to keep the fairies from flying away. 

“Marinette is cool, so don’t touch her,” Juleka says, Max quickly agreeing.

“We won’t let you hurt Marinette!”

“Is that how you talk to your elders?” Befana questions, gun raised at them.

Deciding now was my last chance, I scramble onto the stage and throw the looped lights over her head. Quickly pulling them down so her arms are trapped against her sides, she struggles as she turns and gapes at me.

“You--untie me right now you horrid brat!” she screeches, her glare harsh enough to make my stomach curl.

Forcing down my unease, I reach for her gun, internally panicking about the fact that Ladybug _still_ wasn’t here. Before I could even get close she rips the sting lights off her with a yell. Stumbling back as glowers down at me, she turns back towards the group with her gun raised. 

“You all are so rude. Maybe this way, you’ll learn to keep quiet.”

Tearing myself away as everyone starts turning to stone, guilt weighs heavily in my stomach as I take the chance to run away. Mentally apologizing to all of them as I slip behind a tree, I quickly open my camera case to a hyper Blann, more than ready to go.

Quickly transforming, I hop over the park’s fence and hide behind one of the parked cars. Pulling up the GPS on my tonfa, I chew the inside of my cheek at the lack of Ladybug’s icon on the screen. Chat was headed away from the Eiffel Tower, most likely hiding Marinette there, but Ladybug was still a no show. I was a little hesitant about getting so easily involved again. Even though she told me not to avoid them anymore, it was still nerve-wracking meeting up.

Pinching my cheek, I shake my head. One of my closest friends was being targeted. I wasn’t able to help Alya and I refused to do the same with Marinette. 

Slipping my tonfas back on my belt, I hop up on the street light before leaping to the rooftops. All I could really do was keep Befana distracted until Ladybug showed up.

Trailing after her as she takes to the sky on her broom bike, she sings loudly as she shoots at different people, some turning into coal statues and others fairies. 

Moving ahead of her I whistle loudly to get her attention, waving mockingly when she spots me. Jumping to the side to avoid a glowing bullet, I dart forward with a trio of fairies hot on my heels. 

Leaping across a large gap, I spot Chat just ahead, waving wildly and motioning his way. Nodding, I glance behind me, making sure Befana is still chasing me, before speeding up and heading towards Chat.

Passing by him, he quickly extends his staff across to the other side of the street. 

Nearly choking on a laugh as Befana runs into it with an audible _clang_ , I skid to a stop and jog back towards the blonde. “Nice thinking,” I compliment casually, testing the waters to see if I was still welcome.

He grins, seemingly overjoyed to see me. “What can I say? I’m smart _and_ adorably handsome,” he quips with a playful wink.

Scolding my heart at the way it _still_ skips at the sight, I can’t help but smile. At least the almost kiss didn’t seem to be messing with him too bad. 

... _Even if a tiny, itty bitty part of me wanted him to be conscious of me. Hero or otherwise._

Pulling out my tonfas as the fairies drop Befana on the roof next to us, Ladybug lands in between me and Chat, yoyo at the ready.

“What’d I miss?” she questions, throwing me a soft smile when we lock eyes.

The tension in my shoulders ease slightly. It didn’t look like I was unwelcome. 

“You little thief! Where have you hidden Marinetta?” Befana demands angrily.

Chat answers with a smug shrug, “I forgetta.”

“Watch out or you’ll get a time-out of your own,” Ladybug says with a narrowed-eyed grin.

Befana points at us with a glare. “Take care of these villains!” she orders, her group of fairies quickly swooping at us.

Dodging out of the way of their grabbing hands, I kick off the chimney to my right and slip under Chat as he leaps in the air. 

Busy avoiding their open arms, I vault over one of the bigger fairies before noticing Befana racing away. “She’s headed towards the Eiffel Tower!” I yell panickedly, throwing one of the fairies over the edge by her wings. 

“We can’t let her get there!” Chat shouts with an alarmed look.

“And why not?” Ladybug questions as the three of us scatter to avoid another swooping fairy.

Balancing up on his staff, Chat quickly shouts, “Because that’s where her granddaughter is!”

“I can get us there before her!” I leap up on the chimney and offer Chat my hand. “We’ll have to hurry though.”

He nods, stepping down to me and almost steals my breath away when he throws his arm around my shoulder. “Nothing like a quick jog, right Lapin?” he jokes, breath caressing my ear and I really am breathless.

“Yeah…” I breathe out, quickly shaking my head and grinning at him to hide my embarrassment. Slipping my arm under his knees, I sweep him up in my arms and activate my Miraculous before he could question the loud pounding in my chest.

Ignoring Ladybug’s shout to wait, I take off towards the Eiffel Tower, adrenaline pumping through my veins and filling me with a sense of giddiness. _Running had nothing on this._

Quickly catching up to the broom riding villain, I almost trip over my own feet when Chat leans in close to my ear.

“I need you to throw me,” he says, the wind muffling his words slightly.

Already getting ready to object, he swiftly interrupts me.

“Just trust me, okay?”

Gritting my teeth, I glance at him before nodding reluctantly. I didn’t want to. _Really_ didn’t want to. But say it like that… “If I’m not allowed to get stabbed you’re not allowed to fall, got it kitty?” 

Taking a deep breath when he nods with a cheeky grin, I leap up to the chimney before putting extra strength into my next jump. High in the air, I use the momentum to toss Chat even higher towards a clueless Befana. 

Landing on a metal beam on the Eiffel Tower, I watch nervously as he actually manages to land on the back of the broom. “Please don’t fall…” I mumble repeatedly, hopping nervously from foot to foot.

Sucking in a rough breath as the broom-bike suddenly swerves wildly, my fears are confirmed when Chat’s thrown off. Prepared to leap down to try and catch him, Ladybug luckily swings by just in time to grab him. 

“What a sweet little ladybug you are!” Befana says as they land on the tower a few feet from me. “You’d make a perfect fairy!”

She quickly dodges the glowing bullets and swings higher up the Eiffel Tower. “Thanks, but no thanks!” she shouts from above, causing the green-skinned woman to chastise her.

Watching with narrowed eyes, I do my best to keep my heart rate high enough so I don’t lose my adrenaline boost too early. 

Turning her attention to her fairies, Befana orders them to, “take care of those two while I punish this polka-dotted brat!”

Retreating further into the Eiffel tower as half of the flying group splits to chase after me, I hastily dodge their attacks while making sure not to slip and fall. Leaping over one as it swoops down, I plant my foot firmly on her back and use her as a stepping stool to dodge the next fairy that tries to grab me as well. 

Glancing over at Chat as he avoids his own gang of fairies, he shouts a quick “start heading up!” and I nod before slipping under another swooping fairy and heading up the opposite side of the tower as Chat does the same.

Feeling my adrenaline waning as I quickly climb and dodge my way up the tower, I grit my teeth and barely avoid one last diving attack before flipping over the railing and wiping my sweaty brow. With Chat and Ladybug landing a moment later, I take a deep breath and join them in the center.

“I saw Befana dodging her own candies. Even she can’t touch them!” Ladybug explains as we look up at said villain refilling her gun.

“The candy bag!” Chat shouts. “The akuma must be in there.”

Ladybug’s eyes widen, “Of course!” Quickly activating her Lucky charm, she catches a red polka-dotted tuba.

“You didn’t tell us you played the tuba,” Chat quips with a grin.

“I don’t...but looks like I’ll have to learn.”

The corners of his mouth curl deviously as he glances at me. “ _Or_ you could give it to Lapin. I’m pretty sure he’s full of hot air.” 

He was trying to bait me, unsurprisingly. Surprisingly though, I didn’t mind in the slightest. It was like nothing changed.

“I don’t know, Chat, you might be better at it than me.” I cross my arms, barely holding back the playful grin that threatens to spread across my face. “Considering you’re such a loud mouth and all.”

He narrows his eyes at me, the angry illusion quickly shattered by the large grin that spreads across his face.

Ladybug sighs, “I guess some things never really change, do they?”

Before I could question her about what she meant, glowing bullets rain down at us. Bumping into each other as we avoid them, the metal around us corrodes away and we’re stuck in the middle. Then, suddenly, a couple fairies slam into the crumbling ground and send us tumbling down to the next floor below.

Landing halfway on Chat, I quickly sit up while ignoring the throbbing in my left knee. Still close to him, I didn’t have time to get embarrassed as Befana’s taunting voice pierces the air.

“You three have been very naughty,” she begins, arms crossed as she pulls beside us on her broom-bike before stepping off. “I’m going to have to take your toys away from you.”

Glaring at her as I try to figure out a way to get out of this situation, I glance up at the fairies surrounding us. I only had a few more minutes before I had to transform back and I really didn’t want that to happen in front of everyone. 

“Okay, you win, Befana,” Ladybug says suddenly, Chat and I staring at her dumbfounded. 

Before I could demand an explanation, she winks at us and I realize it was part of her plan.

Chat gets it too, stumbling out, “I, uh, I did lie! I’m sorry. Your granddaughter _is_ here.”

“Never too late to tell the truth, right?” she adds, smiling up at the glaring villain.

Befana is quiet for a moment, staring down at her before saying, “I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll take you to her myself,” Chat says, hands held up placidly as he stands.

Following after him with her gun aimed at his back, Befana glances over her shoulder. “Keep an eye on the ladybug and rabbit,” she orders before trailing after Chat again.

Waiting until there further away, Ladybug leans close while casting a wary glance at the group of fairies. “How close until your Miraculous runs out?” she asks quietly.

Mentally counting in my head, I quietly answer back with “I’m pretty sure around two or three minutes.”

She nods before smirking and jumping up. “More than enough time!” Throwing and wrapping her yoyo around the garden hose bolted to one of the beams, she catches it in her hand. “Sorry, guys, but you're all going to have to be put in time-out.”

Hoping up to stand beside her, she quickly looks at me and subtly motions to the two angels to my right. Pulling out my tonfas with a small nod, I quickly duck under one as they all charge at us. 

Grabbing the leg of the one that flies over me, I jab my fist up towards it, the tip of my tonfa digging into its stomach. Leaping out of the way as it collapses to the ground, I barely have time to dodge another fairy charging at me. Scrambling forward, I quickly twist around and kick its side as it passes. Flying towards Ladybug, she ducks down just as another fairy charges at her, the one crashing into the other and sending them both into the large beam behind her.

As they crumble to the ground I spot the other two already down, courtesy of Ladybug, who pops back up with a satisfied look. “Looks like that was all of them. Good job, Lapin,” she says happily, carrying one of the fairies towards the elevator. 

A little flustered at the praise, I follow her lead and grab one of the larger ones. It was a bit of a surprise, but not totally unwelcome. Definitely felt a lot better than being ignored or yelled at.

“Lapin,” Ladybug begins while dragging the suit wearing one by the back of its shirt. “I need you to know that I really am sorry--”

“It’s fine,” I interrupt, heaving the next fairy over my shoulder with a grunt. I didn’t want to talk about it.

“Ignoring what happened won’t make it go away.”

I almost snort. Did she know my therapist? Because she was sounding a lot like him. 

Sighing, she sets the last fairy in the elevator and begins tying them up with the garden hose. “I thought a lot about what I said and...after what happened at the Louvre...I…” she trails off, standing and looking at me sadly. “I don’t want to lose you, Lapin, you’re an important friend and you didn’t deserve me yelling at you just because I was freaking out.”

I suck in a sharp breath, feeling a little choked up. “Then why say it?” I force out, voice almost pleading. 

She avoids my gaze as she steps out of the elevator. “I...I was scared,” she finally admits, taking a deep breath before continuing, “You almost died and it was my fault because I let my irritation over Volpina cloud my judgment. And then I said all those horrible things even though I didn’t mean a single thing…” she sighs lightly, looking up at me with a frown. “I don’t know if you had any idea, but things weren’t that great after you disappeared. Chat wasn’t his usual dramatic self, and I found myself stumbling in fights because you weren’t there.” 

“Really?” I question before I could stop myself. It was hard to imagine them missing me _that_ much.

“Yeah, really,” she laughs lightly. “And then when you...at the museum...I was terrified that you...you were going to _die_ because I got distracted.” 

I freeze as she looks up at me with a resolute expression. 

“I never hated you or thought you were in the way. So, even if you can’t forgive me, just know that I’m sorry for hurting your feelings,” she says, keeping her eyes locked on mine intently.

She was so earnest that it almost took my breath away. At a loss for words, my miraculous bleeps loudly and I realize I’ve run out of time.

Ladybug smiles lightly as she presses the down button on the elevator. “You don’t have to say anything now, Lapin. I just want you to know that I think of you as an important friend, no matter what.”

Squeezing my forearm with another smile, she quickly rushes off to meet Chat as Befana flies down to ambush the elevator. 

Almost following after her, my miraculous bleeps again in warning and I step back with a sigh. Though somewhere deep inside a small flame of hope ignites, slowly catching fire to the heavy weight of my insecurities as I make my way back to the party. 

I had a hunch the fight would end any minute, and I didn’t want to raise suspicion by being near the Eiffel tower when it did.

The wind hitting my face doesn’t sting as much as usual, Ladybug’s sincerity replaying over and over in my mind, oh so slowly drowning out the bitter hurt buried deep in my heart. It didn’t completely mask the stinging words, but the fact that she sounded so truthful, _so serious_ , had me hoping that what she wasn’t lying.

Maybe I was a fool, but I wanted so desperately to believe her. For things to go back to before.

_And maybe this was the beginning of it…_

\------

Slipping one last cookie to Blann while everyone sings happy birthday to Marinette, I chuckle when she’s lifted up so she can blow out the candles on her large cake. Smiling warmly as Adrien finally hands her his gift, I turn away to give them their privacy.

Eyes locking on my own gift still sitting unopened next to me on the table, I sigh. I missed the chance to give it to her earlier, before everything happened, and now there was no way I could. Not after Adrien literally made her night with his handmade charm. 

Going to pocket the necklaces before anyone could notice, I nearly pass out when Alya swipes the gift bag off the table with a large grin.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you freaking out over here, pal. _Or_ that you haven’t given Marinette her present yet,” she teases, dancing away as I unsuccessfully grab for the bag. 

My whole face burns as I try to hide my embarrassment with my hands. They were going to laugh when they found out what I got her.

“You better do it now before she completely ends up in lala land,” Alya advises, her amusement clearly visible in her voice.

I sincerely debate running away at this point, the only thing stopping me not wanting to hurt Marinette’s feelings. “Fine,” I hiss out, taking the gift from her and heading over to Marinette with a queasy stomach. 

_Please don’t let me throw up at my friend’s party…_

Taking a deep breath when I reach her and Adrien, I hold out the present with a clumsy smile. “ _alles Gute zum Geburtstag_ _Marinette,_ ” I say softly, before flushing even more at the mix up and correcting myself, “Uh, I mean, _happy birthday, Marinette._ ” 

Eyes practically sparkling as she takes the gift, she says a quick _thank you_ before reaching into the bag.

Wanting nothing more than for the ground to swallow me whole as she pulls out the small jewelry box, I already start babbling out an excuse before she can even open it.

“I didn’t know what to get you so I asked my cousin and she said…” I almost choke on my own words as she cracks open the box. “She said that it showed I thought of you and Alya as my friends and I never bought a birthday present before so--”

Her giggles cut me off, and my heart drops, the weight of a thousand stares making me sweat nauseous. Seeing her open her mouth, I grip at the hem of my shirt. She hated it. She…

“Alya, you have to see how cute this is!” 

I blink as Alya steps over to her, not expecting such enthusiasm. 

“Oh my gosh, Evan! You got her a friendship necklace. How ridiculously cute!” Alya squeals, snapping a quick picture with her phone before noticing the three chains. “And look, it unclasps into threes!”

I fiddle with my camera case with shaky hands, trying desperately to get my embarrassment under control. “Uh, yeah. For you, me, and Marinette,” I answer quietly, clasping my fingers behind my neck as I stare at the ground nervously.

A beat of silence passes and I’m almost afraid I stepped over some boundaries before Marinette giggles softly. 

“I love it.”

Eyes darting up to meet hers disbelievingly, the sight of her large smile eases the tightness in my chest and I let out a relieved breath of air. 

“Me too,” Alya agrees warmly, taking a part of the necklace out of the box. “This really is, like, the cutest thing you’ve ever done, Evan,” she grins teasingly, making the tips of my ears burn.

“Don’t tease him, Alya,” Marinette chastises, before smiling up at me once again. “Thank you for the birthday present, Evan.”

I scuff my foot against the ground as my face warms. It looked like I was panicking over nothing after all. 

“We _have_ to get a picture with these!” Alya says, pulling me closer by my sleeve.

My face reddens as she turns the camera on on her phone, heat already creeping up my neck at the sight.

_Please don't._

"Here, put your necklace on!" Marinette urges, handing me the middle necklace with a smile.

Looking at it for a moment, I glance back over at the excited girl and any resistance in me is quickly snuffed out with a defeated sigh.

Hopefully Alya wouldn't post it online.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter down! And Ladybug actually got around to finally apologizing! (Behind the scenes, the guilt eventually drove her to asking her parents for advice) But now we have the obstacle of Adrien being awkward and jumpy around Evan! He's just sort of floundering because of the almost kiss and definitely confused and embarrassed lol 
> 
> The drama that will finally come of this will be legendary.
> 
> But on a less dramatic note, the picture they took at the end of the chapter --> [Here!](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/627714365182869504/just-the-squad-showing-off-their-friendship)


	7. Robostus

“Oh, no! I forgot my bag in the locker room!”

“Again?” I question, looking back at Marinette.

“Yeah,” she sighs. “ _Again…_ ”

Alya and Nino laugh. “Check to see if you left your brain in there too, girl!” She teases, patting Marinette on the shoulder before laughing again as she runs off.

Glaring at Chloe and Sabrina when they laugh at her tripping over her own feet, I bite my tongue and continue to the classroom. I didn’t want to press my luck and get in an argument with her so early in the morning. There were more important things to worry about right now anyway.

“Where’s Adrien?” Alya asks Nino, as they follow after me.

“He’s already in the lab, said he wanted a few extra minutes to do some work.”

 _Or he’s just avoiding me_ , I frown sourly to myself, quickly schooling my expression before anyone can see. Despite making what I thought was progress at Marinette’s party, Adrien was still jumpy around me.

Only half-listening to Alya and Nino’s conversation as we enter the classroom, my eyes immediately lock with Adrien’s bright green ones. Seeing him tense before he quickly looks away, a pit forms in my stomach and I try to keep my frustration under check as I head to my seat in the back.

“H-Hey, Evan,” Nathanael greets as I sit down on the stool next to him.

Giving him a small smile in greeting, I mumble a soft “hey” before pulling out my things for class. Looking over the science homework, I glance at my seatmate and bite the inside of my cheek. “Do you want to compare homework?”

His eyes widen and he glances around before pointing to himself. “M-Me?”

I can’t swallow the amused laugh that bubbles up my throat. “Yes, you, Nathanael. I figured I could return the favor since you let me check my history homework all the time.”

“Oh,uh, yeah! I-If you don’t mind…” he trails off with a smile that seems too excited for just checking homework.

_Guess he really does struggle with science._

Shifting my stool a fraction closer, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at the eerie feeling of being watched. Glancing towards the front of the class, I catch Adrien’s eyes briefly before he focuses back on whatever Nino was talking about with furrowed brows.

I sigh mentally and stare at him a moment longer before looking back down at the homework spread out between me and Nathanael. This weird atmosphere could easily be resolved if he just _told me what I did wrong._

Sparing another glance at the front of the class as the principal and Mrs. Mendeleiev continue to struggle with the laptop, I silently hope that maybe we’d end up with a free period. Looking back down at our homework, Nathanael finishes his couple corrections before leaning back on his stool.

“Thanks, Evan, I’m not that smart when it comes to science,” he laughs lightly, face red as he fiddles with his pencil.

“Good thing we’re seatmates then, since I suck at history. We’ll just have to help each other out, won’t we?” I say with a smile, chin propped in my hand.

His face turns almost as red as his hair as he practically deflates like a balloon, laying his head on the table and hiding his face in his arms.

I quickly straighten up, worried I overstepped. “Uh, I mean that’s okay with you!”

He carefully peeks at me through a gap in his arms, croaking out, “my grades are in your capable hands.”

Smiling in relief, I nod my head. At least I could count on Nathanael to be his same, shy but friendly self during all weirdness with Adrien.

Focusing back on the principal as he manages to finally log into the laptop, a laughing, pixelated dinosaur suddenly appears on the screen.

With both him and Mrs. Mendeleiev panicking, Max steps up to the teacher's desk. Pulling the laptop over to look at it, it’s pulled out of his hands by the teacher.

“Go back to your seat now, Max!” she demands. “Leave this to the adults.”

Grabbing his bag, he angrily makes his way to his seat before, suddenly, a robotic voice sounds from his bag.

“Inform the adults that if they don’t neutralize the virus in the next 75 seconds, there’s a 99% chance the hard disk will be permanently damaged!”

“Quiet!” Max hisses, sitting next to Kim while clutching his bag.

Just what did he have in there?

“It’s destroying all the school data. It’s a disaster!” Principal Damocles exclaims panickedly before looking over at Max. “How many seconds did you say we had left?”

“Only 65,” he answers quickly.

“Let him try,” Mr. Damocles says, turning the computer towards the brainiac.

Quickly heading to the front of the class, Max rummages around in his bag with a frown.

“I believe _this_ \--” a small robotic claw stretches out from the book bag with a flash drive--“is what you’re looking for.”

I lean forward, admittedly a little interested in whatever was in his bag.

With the usb in hand, Max rubs the back of his head as he explains just what’s on it. “This is an anti-virus device. I...I created it with help from my best friend.”

A small, palm-sized robot suddenly flies out of his bag, eagerly greeting everyone. “Hello! My name is Markov!” it says happily before towards Max. “We can fix this, Max!”

The two make quick work of whatever virus was on the computer, the disappearing data reappearing as Mr. Damocles praises the young man.

The class _ohh’s_ in amazement, crowding around the teacher’s desk excitedly. Joining the group with more subdued interest, I stick to the back so I don’t feel too suffocated.

“Max is a real genius,” Adrien says, a few people away from me as I take the spot next to Marinette.

“You’ve added arms to him since the last time. That’s cool!” enthuses Kim.

“Markov added them all by himself,” Max states. “He’s the most highly evolved robot there is.”

“ _Puh-lease!_ ”

I sigh. Chloe getting jealous of the attention once again. _What a surprise._

“Your friend’s just a talking calculator. There’s nothing “evolved” about that!”

I bite my tongue, forcing myself to remain silent. Something told me Max treated the little robot a lot better than Chloe treated her supposed best friend.

Marinette, though, isn’t afraid to say something, rolling her eyes as she turns back to the front of the class. “Don’t listen to her, Markov. That girl is the lowest of the low when it comes to human evolution.”

“You’re very amusing, Marinette,” laughs the robot.

Her eyes widen. “You know who I am?”

“Of course,” Markov chirps. “Max showed me the class photo. He told me all about you and his other friends. I’m very happy to finally meet you! _Even Chloe._ ”

“This toy you’ve manufactured is quite impressive. Now put it away, please,” Mrs. Mendeleiev says before turning to the rest of the class, “Come on, everybody, back to your seats.”

Before the group could disperse, the small robot quickly says, “With all do respect, Mrs. Mendeleiev, I am not a toy. My name is Markov and I am Max’s best friend.”

“Markov is right,” Max agrees. “He’s not just some toy. He’s my friend. He’s as emotionally intelligent and sensitive as any human being.”

The teacher is having none of it, putting her hands on her hips with a frown. “Look, Max, a robot may be intelligent, but it can’t have emotions.”

I roll my eyes. We live in a world where superheroes and powers are real and a robot with feelings is where she drew the line?

“If I may, ma’am, I can assure you that I truly love Max,” Markov cuts in, not that it moves the frowning teacher.

“Be serious, Max. You’ve programmed your robot to say that. A robot cannot think for itself, much less love anybody!”

I shake my head as Max starts arguing with her again. I understood wanting to stand up for your friend, but the only thing that was going to happen was getting in trouble for mouthing off to a teacher.

“Ever since I created him, he’s integrated his own cumulative thinking system. A-And he’s developed all our emotions, just like any human being.”

A few of the students gasp at his words before Mrs. Mendeleiev quickly puts a stop to it with a firm, “That’s enough, Max!” Slamming her hand on the table, she looks at him irritably. “If you don’t put that plaything away right now, I’ll confiscate it. _Understand?_ ”

I didn’t see why it mattered so much to her if the tiny robot was actually sentient or not.

Instead of flying back into the bag, Markov moves closer to the teacher’s face. “You’re not being reasonable, Mrs. Mendeleiev!” he objects as Max warns him to stop. “Why? It’s true, isn't it?”

The indignant look on her face has me laughing to myself, along with the rest of the class, before Mr. Damocles grabs the robot out of the air.

“All right, that’s enough!” he says loudly, silencing everyone before turning to the boy next to him. “Max, you can get your robot back at the end of the day.”

Pleading with the older man, his resolve only hardens as he adds, “Do you want three hours of detention too?” Receiving a quiet _no_ , he turns with a huff, leaving the room as Markov calls after Max with increasing worry.

A few moments of silence echo around the room at the abrupt departure before whispers break out around me.

“I can’t believe Mr. Damocles took Markov,” Marinette mutters with crossed arms.

Leaning down so she can hear me over the hushed whispers, I quietly say, “I think they forgot that super-powered villains regularly attack Paris.”

She nods as he turns to look up at me. “You’re right. A robot with feelings doesn’t seem that far-fetched if you think about it,” she says, brows furrowed thoughtfully.

“Silence!” Mrs. Mendeleiev shouts suddenly, the sound of her hands slamming the desk making me flinch as the murmurs quickly stop. “I want everyone back to their seats, now!”

Everyone does as told, albeit reluctantly, and I slip back onto my stool with a sigh. So much for lucking out and getting a study period. Almost missing a pair of familiar green eyes looking back at me as I scan the settling classroom, I do a double take just as he turns back towards the front. Biting the inside of my cheek, I sigh despondently to myself. Being so blatantly avoided by him really hurt.

_Repair one relationship, destroy another I guess._

Sighing again, I watch disinterestedly as Mrs. Mendeleiev sets up everything on the board. I couldn’t wait for lunch and just...get away.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Mendeleiev.” A stool suddenly screeches across the tiled floor as Marinette stands up. “As class representative, could I get permission to go see Mr. Damocles?”

This was about that little robot, wasn’t it?

“No! You can go and see him between periods,” the teacher states, quickly turning back to setting up the whiteboard.

Marinette presses on. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I think you’re mistaken about Markov, _Max’s friend_.”

Now she was just _trying_ to get the teacher upset.

“This whole thing is really starting to get on my nerves!” Mrs. Mendeleiev seethes. “And your behavior is quite inappropriate, young lady.”

“Markov wasn’t wrong!” she states loudly with her arms crossed.

  
  


“I’m sending you to the principal’s office right this minute!”

Her defiant posture immediately evaporates as she happily thanks Mrs. Mendeleiev before heading out the door.

Hiding my grin in the palm of my hand as I lean against the table, I really have to admit that she was amazingly smart. _When it wasn’t concerning Adrien of course._

My grin falters at the reminder of him, but I keep my eyes fixed on the board. If he caught me looking at him _again_ he’d probably avoid me even more. Did all friendships go through such an awkward phase? With a small groan, I shift in my seat and force myself to actually listen to Mrs. Mendeleiev. Just because I was passing her class didn’t mean I could slack off the _whole_ time.

The laptop suddenly twitches, so lightly that I almost miss it.

Sitting up straight, I glance around the room to see if anyone else saw it too. With everyone appearing unbothered, I return my gaze back on the laptop and stare at it for another moment. Maybe I was just seeing things?

But then it does it again, this time much more noticeable.

My fingers twitch against the table as I tensely continue to stare down the computer. They didn’t usually do that, right?

In a burst of action it practically does a backflip in the middle of its spasms and _finally_ others seem to notice.

Chloe is the first to scream as it flies around the front of the class like an agitated bird. A few more gasps of surprise and terror fill the air as cell phones are the next to join in on the havoc. Like a flood, everyone starts scrambling out of their seats and towards the door, Chloe leading the charge as she busts it open with another shriek.

Cautious of bumping into anyone, I quickly follow the crowd out the door. A small tremor makes me stumble and I look up in shock at the two story tall welded robot. It was made up of different cars, and I had a sinking suspicion of who, or what, was responsible for it.

Moved into action as it picks up Max and Mrs. Mendeleiev, I slip around the stunned students and head towards the locker room. Glancing up as he drops the boy into the car that makes up its head, I’m at least relieved that he didn’t appear to want to hurt Max.

Slipping away before the teachers could spot me, I close the door as Blann pops out of my camera case.

“I don’t think they can say Markov is just a toy now,” he says, peering cautiously out at the large robot through the window.

I stretch out my shoulders with a nod. “Yeah, definitely seems pretty emotional to me. We better--” I quickly cut myself off as the boy’s restroom door opens, eyes widening at the sight of Chat stepping out. “Chat?”

He jumps in surprise, stiffening as he looks at me. “E-Evan!?” his voice actually cracks, and despite the circumstances, I find it oddly cute. “What are you doing?”

“Uh…” I glance over at Blann as he disappears into a locker. “I thought I’d hide here until it was safe.”

He grabs his chin with a thoughtful nod. “Smart, smart. I approve of anything as long as it isn’t fighting the robot with a broom. So no daring rescues now that Chat Noir is here to save the day, got it?” he says, pointing at me with a grin. Though the look in his eyes is a little too firm to be a simple joke.

 _He was worried._ My heart flutters at the sentiment and I resist the urge to take his hand in mine. “Don’t worry, Chat Noir. I’ll make sure to stick to the sidelines and cheer you on,” I say jokingly, my smile softening when my eyes meet his. He worried so, so much underneath all that snark.

Not that he’d ever admit it.

The faintest outline of a blush brushes passed his mask, and I find myself a little breathless. In all the chaos I forgot. Forgot about that evening he practically made me fall in love all over again. _About how close I was to kissing him._

“I’ve always wanted my own cheerleader,” he jokes lightly, cat ears twitching as he looks _physically_ hot under the collar.

Face heating up, I can’t bring myself to look away from him. It was oddly exciting, seeing a side of Chat never seen before. “Well, I’ll try my best,” I say, grinning lightly as I scratch the side of my head.

“I look forward to it,” he answers with a breathless laugh.

We both fall silent as, once again, a weird tension fills the air. It leaves my heart racing and palms sweaty. I wanted nothing more than to hug him, _kiss him_ , right this moment. But I don’t. Because the last thing I want is to make him uncomfortable once again.

Luckily, Mrs. Mendeleiev's loud screeching breaks the heavy atmosphere filling the locker room. Unfortunately, a stifling awkwardness takes its place.

“Oh! Uh, looks like that’s my cue to go and save the day!” Chat says loudly, clearing his throat before marching towards the door. Pulling it open, he glances back at me, flushing once again when our eyes meet. Taking a moment, he grins through his embarrassment. “Make sure to stay outta trouble, Trouble,” he says with a smooth wink. Before abruptly turning and slamming his face into the metal doorframe.

“Chat!” I shout worriedly, pausing in my tracks as he holds his hand up with a weak laugh.

“I’m fine!” he says quickly, refusing to look at me as he cradles his no doubt throbbing nose. “I, uh, I’ll see you later!”

With that he shuts the door behind him, and all I can do is stare in bewilderment. I guess the almost kiss really _was_ affecting him more than he let on.

“Wew, is it a little steamy in here?” Blann asks, out of hiding and fanning his face dramatically.

Giving him a questioning look, he covers his mouth and giggles.

“Nothing, I just thought you two were cute. All awkward and hyper-aware.”

I shake my head with a frown. “I think he’s still uncomfortable about what happened last time.”

“You mean when you almost kiss--”

He lets out a squeak as I trap him in my hands, face burning as I say, “Blann, ears up!”

Cautiously stepping out of the locker room as the warmth fades from my cheeks, Mrs. Mendeleiev’s shrill voice echoes around the courtyard.

“You can’t do this!” she yells, hanging on the edge of the roof by the back of her coat.

“And you cannot separate me from my friend, Max!” the robot counters sharply.

Her lab coat suddenly rips, and I rush to catch her as she falls. Just as I slide to a stop under her, Ladybug’s yoyo wraps around her midsection, dropping her safely in my arms. Quickly ushering the teacher into the room behind us, I instruct her to stay out of view before shutting the door and heading to Ladybug..

“If you truly love your friend then you should listen to him, Robostus!” she yells, attempting to subdue the robotic villain.

Skidding to a stop next to her the same time as Chat lands, he quickly adds, “Yeah! Like we do!” he glances over at Ladybug mischievously, “Well, _trying_ to do anyway.”

She only groans in response.

“You really think any of you can stop me from doing what I want and showing the world that I’m probably more human than the three of you put together?” he demands, ground quaking as he stomps his foot.

“Well, yeah, that’s kinda our job,” Chat states simply.

“And here I thought your job was being a pain in the neck,” I quip, unable to hide my teasing grin.

He looks mock offended, placing a hand on his chest with a gasp. “Me? No, no, no, I’m afraid that’s only _one_ of my jobs,” he says, before his mouth slips into a smug smirk. “I’m just talented like that.”

I almost choke on my laughter as Ladybug rolls her eyes, though I catch the small smile that flashes across her face before she gets back to business.

“Do you really think Max is happy about his best friend becoming a supervillain?” she asks the robot.

It goes silent, the small robot most likely talking with Max. Not wasting the opening Chat rushes at him, though he quickly gets caught in his makeshift hand.

Ladybug throws her yoyo at the scrapped together machine, only to have it caught in his free hand.

In one swift motion, Robostus pulls her off her feet and I mentally curse before pulling out my tonfa. As he spins them around I get ready to leap up to the head of the machine that contained the akumatized robot. Stopping at the last minute when he releases them, I wince as he sends them flying over the school walls.

_Okay, new plan._

Quickly dodging his foot as he focuses on trying to crush me, my mind races to try and think of a new solution. There was no way I could fight him one-on-one and win. His size alone would prove difficult even with the three of us. Our best bet was to regroup, though I didn’t want to lose track of him knowing the harm he could do the second he was no longer distracted. Just because it could be fixed by Ladybug’s Miraculous at the end of the day didn’t mean I was still fine with people getting hurt.

Twisting out of the way of another hurried foot stomp, the ground quakes under my feet unsteadily.

If I could just keep track of him... _the GPS!_ I perk up immediately. I could remove the GPS tracker out of one of my tonfas and stick it on him! But where…

Darting in the opposite direction as the large robot’s foot slams down in front of me, I sweep my eyes along the mechanical components before they land on the exhaust pipes jutting out behind it’s head.

_There!_

Quickly cracking open the tonfa in my left hand, I rip out the blinking component and toss the now useless weapon aside.

Avoiding one more foot stomp, I leap up to the second floor railing and avoid his claw-like hand. Jumping onto his extended arm, with my GPS tracker in hand, I have to nimbly avoid his other hand as it tries to swat me off. Reaching the exhaust pipes connected to the upper back of the lumbering machine I toss the tracker down one of the pipes while flipping over it.

Landing on the roof, I wave mockingly at the robot before disappearing over the edge and quickly heading towards the direction Ladybug and Chat were thrown.

Spotting them still sprawled out on top of a building, I land next to a prone Ladybug, quickly asking, “Are you guys okay?”

“I’m _purr_ fectly fine,” Chat answers, though the groan he lets out as he falls limp on top of the chimney says otherwise.

Ladybug stands, stretching her back with a small grunt. “Just a little sore,” she says, watching Robostus bound away. “It seems he knows where he’s going.”

I suddenly grin. “So do we!” I state quickly. “I stuck my GPS tracker on him so we should know exactly where he is.”

She pulls up the map on her yoyo, watching the rabbit foot moving further away, before smiling at me proudly. “Great thinking, Lapin! We shouldn’t have a problem finding him now.”

A sense of pride warms my chest as I grin dumbly to myself. First an apology and now complimenting me.

It felt nice.

“Tracking or not, I think we should play it safe for now,” says Chat, still laying limp on the chimney. “His robot brain computes faster than all of ours combined.”

Ladybug scoffs. “Speak for yourself,” she says with a grin, motioning for me to follow her before swinging away.

Quickly scrambling up, Chat passes me with a large grin. “I’ll race ya, bunny!”

I laugh before quickly chasing after him, heart fluttering warmly. How long has it been since we raced each other like a couple of kids?

Winking playfully at him as I easily pass him by, another laugh bubbles up my throat at his glare.

The answer was _too long._

Always just a whiskers breath ahead, we near the hotel and I skid to a stop next to Ladybug as she points out the electronics circling two people.

“He’s got a whole army of living machines now,” Chat says worriedly.

Jumping down to help, we make quick work of the kitchen appliances and the cars slam into each other in an attempt to get away.

The two quickly thank us before Ladybug points out another person being chased.

“You two take care of the vending machines!” she yells before grabbing the man and telling the others to head to the roof.

Sharing a grin with Chat, we rush into the fray, tearing apart the vending machines with ease.

“Look at us! The best crime fighting duo there is!” Chat cheers, spinning his staff and raising his hand with a large grin. “High-five!”

Ignoring the love sick feeling that swells in my chest at his cute behavior, I high-five him with a laugh. “You’re pretty happy about fighting some vending machines,” I tease as I slip my lone tonfa back onto my belt.

He shakes his head with a laugh, throwing his arm around my shoulder before I can react. “More like happy you’re part of the team again.” He pauses to look around dramatically before whispering, “Things were getting a little tense between me and Ladybug when you were gone.”

My eyebrows raise as I look at him out of the corner of my eye. “Would’ve thought you’d be happy to have all that alone time with _your little bugaboo_.”

Sticking his tongue out at me, he playfully shoves the back of my head before twirling away. “Under normal circumstances I’d have been over the moon, but it was _paw_ fully lonely without you around,” he says with a wink, before turning away and heading up towards the hotel roof.

I have to practically swallow the stupid giggle that wants to trickle out of my mouth, face burning as my heart flutters around in my chest. _Who gave him the right to affect me so much?_ Just hearing him say he missed me had me grinning goofily and wanting to bury my face in my hands.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I pinch my cheek with a loud exhale. Right, Robostus was still on the loose and had Max. After saving him I could get all gross and mushy.

Emotions a little more under control, I leap up to the hotel roof and land next to Chat, who quickly points to the screen on his staff. “Look at this!”

Shifting closer, I mentally punch myself for immediately noticing the cool, crisp smell coming off him. _Don’t be weird, Evan,_ I scold, embarrassed at my own behavior. Focusing back on the news channel on the screen, I absent-mindedly knead at my shoulder while listening to the news anchor explain about the machines coming to life.

My interest only piques when the screen changes to a lamp with the mayor’s sash wrapped around it. The light flashes in a series of beeps and I furrow my brows thoughtfully.

“Is that Morse code?” Ladybug asks.

“Do you need subtitles?” questions Chat with a glance before continuing, “I speak several languages.”

I roll my eyes, exasperated. Of course he did.

He wasn’t lying either, easily reading out, “Humans will soon be...treated the same way as objects.”

_Great._

The newswoman appears back on screen. “Paris’ only hope in this dire situation is Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat--hey!” she shouts suddenly, rushing out of frame with a scream before the feed cuts off.

“Oh, come on!” Chat pouts. “She could’ve at least finished saying my name…”

Leaning forward to catch his eye, I say with a smirk, “Don’t worry, all you’re fans know you already.” _Like me_.

“Still, all this hard work and no recognition?” he sighs dramatically with the back of his hand on his forehead.

Snickering at his theatrics, I quiet down as Ladybug turns towards us.

“We’ll never be able to defeat them all. We must fight the problem at its source,” she says. Quickly pulling out her yoyo, she looks at it with a nod. “It looks like he’s at the stadium. Let’s go.”

Following alongside her as we race to the field, there’s surprisingly no damage inside.

“Are you sure this is where he is? There’s no footprints or anything,” Chat says.

Ladybug crosses her arms. “It doesn’t make sense. The tracker leads right here…the tunnels!” she shouts suddenly as an army full of cars drive out of hiding and surround us from both sides.

Backing up, I glance around tensely. “This isn’t good.”

“Oh, you don’t say?” quips Chat sarcastically. “He’s got us trapped in here!”

“We don’t have time to deal with them. We have to find Robostus now!” Ladybug shouts, and the three of us leap up to get away.

Or we tried anyway.

Helicopters suddenly fly in out of nowhere, smacking into us and the loader from the ground captures us in its grabber.

My right arm slides down into the wedge of the machine as I try to find my footing, trapping me by the elbow almost painfully tight. Yanking on it to no avail, the whole machine shifts, twisting my arm uncomfortably.

Wincing as I open my eyes, I come face-to-face with an upside down Chat, dangling just above my stomach with a grimace. Noticing Ladybug’s legs further down, I curl my own legs up, banging the back of Chat’s head with my knee, as I let out a hurried, panicked warning when one of her flailing feet hit a little too close to my crotch.

“Sorry!” she shouts guiltily, her rough kicking stopping, much to my relief.

Relaxing slightly, I smile apologetically at a still grimacing Chat. “Sorry, kitty, it was a _knee_ -jerk reaction.”

He glares at me while squirming uselessly. “I told you guys that giant hard-drive was going to be trouble,” he grunts out, legs flailing wildly in the air.

“How about a Cataclysm right now?” Ladybug questions.

“I can’t! I can barely breathe!” he whines, eyes closed tightly as sweat starts to bead on his forehead.

“Now you are at my mercy!” Robostus gloats, voice slightly muffled from inside his makeshift hand.

Max’s muffled voice echoes into the metal claw, but I don’t pay it any mind, focused more on trying to somehow loosen my arm. Twisting it for more leverage, I choke on my breath as a sharp pain stabs in my shoulder.

_Definitely no more of that._

“You alright, Lapin? Looking a little winded,” Chat teases, though concern is visible in his eyes.

Smiling through the discomfort, I use my free hand and poke his forehead. “I should ask you the same. You’re practically a waterfall right now.”

He turns his now up (down?) at me. “You better be grateful. I know girls that would kill to be in your position,” he brags, though he huffs angrily at my disbelieving expression.

“Will you two be quiet for a second!” Ladybug scolds. “I think he said something about taking our Miraculous’ and making a wish.”

Chat groans. “Doesn’t Hawk Moth usually demand the Miraculous’?”

A light buzzing sound sounds from outside and I shift (carefully this time) to try and see what was out there.

“Uh, what...what’s that?” Ladybug asks worriedly, her legs starting to move while she tries to wriggle free.

“What’s going on, Ladybug?” Chat questions, eyes wide as he glances around helplessly.

A yellow helicopter flies into view, my stomach dropping as a metal pincher reaches from it. As it reaches for the bracelet on my wrist, I suck in a sharp breath and try once again to yank my arm free from its wedged position.

“Anyone got any bright ideas?” Chat questions nervously, eyes squeezed closed as he desperately tries to break free.

Looking back up as the helicopter’s claw starts to close around my Miraculous, I glance back at Chat as my heart pounds harshly in my ears. This was it! He’d find out I was that weirdo that almost kissed him and he wouldn’t want anything else to do with me!

There’s a bang followed by talking outside, Max yelling an apology to Robostus. But I was too focused on Chat. It felt the end of the world and I can’t keep my mouth closed. I had to tell him before he decided I wasn’t worth it.

“Chat, I…” I choke when his bright green eyes open, locking on mine. But I don’t back down. Not now. “I lo--”

My confession is harshly cut off when the claw suddenly shifts and opens. Falling to the ground, I land next to Chat, arms and legs splayed awkwardly before I quickly hop to my feet. Dread and embarrassment settle in my gut, my face heating up as I realize just how foolishly close I was to confessing. _For the second time._

Ignoring the urge to bury my face in my hands, I save the mental name-calling for later and focus on the large machine in front of us.

“Why would you do that?” Robostus asks Max, who was responsible for releasing us. “I was going to become human, like you!”

“I don’t want you to change! I want you to be like you were before!” he answers.

“Don’t you love me anymore? Aren’t we friends?”

“If you want us to remain friends, you’ve got to stop this right now! I’m friends with Markov, not you,” Max says, trying his best to appeal to the robot.

_Which, while nice, never works._

“I am Robostus now! And you’ve betrayed me! I don’t want to be human like you anymore. Humans don’t have a heart!” the robot shouts, proving my earlier statement. “And that’s exactly why I’ve decided to get rid of them!” he laughs loudly, and the three of us quickly dodge the fist that slams into the ground.

Feet digging into the ground as I slide to a stop, I stare uneasily at the giant crater where we were just standing. It’d be best if we got him out of that mech, _fast._

Ladybug activates her Miraculous, a harp, only for it to be snatched out of the air by the Robostus.

I bite back a curse as I glance between her and Chat. What now?

“I told you, Ladybug, I have analyzed and calculated everything. You can’t win without your Lucky Charm,” taunts Robostus, before ordering the cars surrounding us. “Grab her! Block her in! She’ll be the first to go.”

Dodging a car that almost barrels into me to get to Ladybug, I look over at her and jerk my head towards the large robot. Distracting him would make it a lot harder for her to get caught.

She nods quickly, approving my plan, and I take a deep breath before rushing at him. Leaping up on the tread of the loader that connected to his chest, I jump on top of his shoulder and tap the window of the car with a smirk.

“Get off of me!” he shouts, hand swinging to crush me.

Activating my Miraculous, I easily avoid the makeshift hand and jump on the top of the robot’s head. “Have to try better than that,” I sing tauntingly, slapping my hand on the top of the car before dodging his attempt to grab me.

Easily avoiding any more of his swings as Chat activates his Cataclysm, I swing down to the outside of the loader that Max was trapped in. Wrenching the door open, I flash the nervous boy a reassuring grin before ripping off the seatbelt that had him strapped to the seat.

“Analyse this!” I hear Chat shout while having a hold of the front of the mech’s chest.

Quickly gathering Max in my arms, I warn him to hold on tight before leaping away as the robot falls apart into a pile of rusted metal.

Landing safely on the ground, Max’s screaming only stops when I clear my throat. Trying to hold in my snickering as I set him on the ground, the small robot flies out of the rubble and into the air.

“You three are making this hard only for yourselves. I will always be one step ahead of you!” he says angrily.

Ladybug glares up at him, harp in hand. “Speaking too soon is a human weakness, Robostus! Chat Noir!” she yells before throwing the music instrument at the robot, Chat Noir quickly doing the same.

“Really? Is that your last move?” Robostus taunts, avoiding the harp with ease, only to have Chat’s staff smash it, causing it to tangle in his propellers.

Catching him with her yoyo, Ladybug gins at his surprise. “That was wits and a little bit of luck,” she says with her hand on her hip.

“You are wrong, Ladybug. The game is still on,” he says, some cars revving their engines and swerving towards her.

Sliding Max a little more behind me as I watch her intently for any signs needing help, she inserts the flashdrive from earlier into the tiny robot.

Relaxing as the cars come to a screeching halt, I turn to Max while Ladybug purifies the Akuma. “You okay?” I ask, giving him a brief once over.

He clears his throat before nodding nervously.

A swarm of ladybugs fly through the air and I grin. “Let’s go check on your little robotic pal, shall we?” I say, smacking his back playfully before leading him towards Ladybug.

“Here’s your friend,” she says, handing him the small robot when we reach her.

Taking it, Max stares at him from a moment before saying, “Perhaps it’s best if I don’t.”

Ladybug smiles softly. “Everyone can feel negative emotions from time to time. It’s important to accept that and hopefully forgive,” she says. “Follow your heart.”

Chat smirks at that, throwing himself on my back and wrapping his arms around my neck. “I think she learned that from first hand experience,” he says with a small snicker.

Tugging at his arms as my face warms, I eventually give up and focus back on a thinking Max.

Taking in her words for a moment, he finally smiles and quickly turns the robot back on.

Markov blinks awake after a few seconds of booting up. “Max! My friend! What....” he trails off, looking around confused. “Where are we? What’s going on?”

“You were akumatized,” Max answers.

“Akumatized? Could you please define that word?”

Chat laughs in my ear, light and full of joy, and I’m _just so immensely grateful for being alive and not quitting being a hero._

Face burning underneath my mask, I almost miss joining in the fist bump.

“What’s got you so happy?” Chat questions as we leave the stadium, and I only just realize I had a large grin covering my face.

“Nothing, nothing,” I say with a shake of my head. “I’m just glad to be back.”

\------

“If you could have one wish that would come true, no matter what, what would it be?” Blann asks, looking unusually serious for such an odd question. 

“I don’t know,” I answer flippantly, crumpling up the failed sketch of Chat with a sigh. I wasn’t half the artist Nathanael was and it showed. Embarrassingly so.

“Just think!” he presses. “What’s the one thing you want that couldn’t be gotten normally?”

Giving in, I lean back in my chair and stare up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Something I wanted that I couldn’t get? “Does Chat’s love count?” I joke lightly, letting out a dry laugh. 

“Does it?”

“Wha--of course not!” I say quickly, leaning forward to glare at the small Kwami. “It’s not the same if I have to wish for it!”

“So what then?” he re-asks, ears perked up and eyes digging into me.

I groan, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t know…” I sigh out, leaning against my desk with a frown. _Anything, huh?_ “I guess...to be normal?” I answer hesitantly, suddenly finding the groove on my desk extremely interesting.

Feeling his stare, my face warms and words spill out of me like a faucet. “I mean, I wouldn’t have to take medicine to be okay and maybe...maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid of people sometimes…which would be nice...or something…” I trail off, biting the inside of my cheek.

Blann is quiet, abnormally so, until he asks, “Could you betray someone you loved, like Robostus, to be normal? To not be afraid anymore?”

“Of course not,” I answer immediately, looking over at him. The very thought made my stomach twist unpleasantly. “I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt someone just for a stupid wish.”

His face remains coldly impassive, almost like he was reading me for any hints of a lie, before he suddenly breaks out into an excited grin. “I’m glad you think that!” he says happily, hugging my cheek with a small giggle.

“Uh, thanks?” I watch him out of the corner of my eye confusedly. It almost felt like I passed some sort of test, but I had no idea about what.

Pulling away, he smirks mischievously at me and I already dread his next words.

“I would’ve thought you’d want to wish to finally kiss your little kitty-witty~”

Leaping out of my chair as he flies away with a laugh, my face burns in embarrassment as I try to grab him out of the air.

“ _ Quit mentioning that! _ ”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode 6 done! I never realized how hard it would be to organically write Evan and Chat interacting when most of the time its Lapin and Chat. Still, something about their interactions make me grin. I really dig the idea of Adrien being a clumsy, awkward mess around Evan just because he's never felt that way before. He's been sheltered his whole life and I don't really see him being taught about sexuality too much by Natalie, so boy be struggling. He'll figure it out eventually though.
> 
> I also imagine that Blann has at least some knowledge about the whole wish thing. If I want to get really angsty about it, maybe one of his past holders even tried to steal the two Miraculous' to make their own wish. Which is why he was so serious about asking about wishes to Evan, to make sure it didn't happen again.
> 
> The Dark Owl chapter might take a little longer just because I'm writing a small chapter from Adrien's POV. It won't be too long, but I'm trying my best to have it actually be in character. A difficult task I've found, but I think it will be cute to see a snippet from his perspective.


	8. Short - Adrien's small POV

Angling my chair to better watch the two in the back of the class, I nod here and there as Nino talks about one of the new games coming out.

_ Why was Nathanael sitting so close to him? How’s he expecting him to do his work if he’s basically bumping elbows with him?  _

Just because I was still a little awkward around Evan didn’t mean the redhead could swoop in and try to take my place. 

The two bump elbows, just like I expected, and my stomach twists at the smiles they give each other. Evan didn’t mean anything by it, it was just one of his polite smiles, but Nathanael still ended up flustered. 

Almost everyone other than Evan could tell that Nathanael liked him. The redhead was quieter in nature, but he clammed up whenever the brunette even looked in his direction. 

“Dude, you better quit staring or you’re going to freak Evan out,” Nino whispers, and I quickly whirl around to face him.

“What? I’m not staring,” I say quickly, fighting down a blush.

He gives me a deadpanned look before rolling his eyes. “Whatever you say, dude. Just hurry and make up so Alya will chill. She keeps grumbling about how much work she put in to get you two to be friends in the first place and doesn’t want it to go to waste.” 

“We’re still friends, Nino,” I sigh, glancing back to Evan to see him already snoozing away. He always seemed to fall asleep during first period. “I’ve just been thinking alot lately.” 

“Well stop. If Evan looks anymore like a kicked puppy  _ I’ll _ start wanting to apologize to him.” 

Frowning, I look down at my paper. “You’re just being dramatic.”

\------

“Sounds like _ you’re  _ being the dramatic one right now,” Plagg whines through a mouthful of cheese.

Flopping on my bed with a groan, I stare up at the ceiling. “But we…we almost  _ kissed _ , Plagg,” I whisper quietly, face burning as I remember that night.

“And?” he counters, unconcerned. 

“ _ And? _ ” I sit up with a glare. “Friends don’t kiss other friends.”

Plagg sighs, swallowing the last of his camembert before flying over to me. “How about this? What’s the first thing you think of when you think of Ladybug, huh?”

“That she’s amazing,” I answer immediately, but he already knew that.

He nods with a mock sage look and I roll my eyes. “Okay, not how about Evan?”

“I…” I pause, stomach fluttering unexpectedly at the reminder of his intense look from that night. Struggling for an answer, I settle on a simple, “he’s a friend.”

“Hm? Are you  _ sure _ ~” he drags out the word tauntingly, his mocking grin irritating me beyond belief.

“Yes, Plagg, I’m sure,” I answer with crossed arms. Just see who wasn’t going to get anymore of his stinky cheese at this rate.

He continues to float in front of me lazily, as if I was freaking out over nothing. “The way I see it, you have some serious soul searching to do. Or you could just focus on all that delicious cheese in the back of the fridge,  _ which definitely sounds like the best choice  _ if you ask me _. _ ”

I sigh exasperatedly and fall back onto my bed. For an almost 1000 year old Kwami, he wasn’t much help.

“Look, kid, take my advice and don’t stress so much about it. He doesn’t know that you’re Chat Noir so I don’t see how it’s a big deal.”

I groan. Plagg was the epitome of apathy. “I just don’t get  _ why _ he tried to... _ kiss _ me,” I mumble, face once again warming as my stomach flutters.  _ Why was I feeling this way? About him of all people? _

At first, I was fine just glaring at him from afar and avoiding him the same way he did me and Nino. But then Alya and Marinette started hanging around him, and before long Nino was hyping him up acting like nothing happened. I was still wary though, because he seemed to forget that Evan  _ punched him in the face.  _

Covering my eyes with my arm, I frown as I kick off my shoes. It felt like eons since I’ve felt that way. So many things happened between then and now that I...couldn’t  _ really  _ imagine myself disliking Evan.

Whether getting caught up in tangents about photography or being stupidly protective (at the risk of his own health), it was all still somehow a little charming. It felt nice to be one of the few people close enough to know those sides of him. I mean, how many of our classmates knew that behind that stoic politeness was a kind, if somewhat easily flustered, guy? 

Though...Nino, Alya, Marinette, and I weren’t the only ones who noticed it. Nathanael was probably the first, and for some reason that made me unhappy. Evan was closer to me than him, and judging by his constant failures in even properly  _ talking _ to the brunette, that was never going to change 

_ Good _ , I think with a quiet huff.  _ Evan needed someone who could listen and actually understand him.  _ Nathanael probably didn’t even know that he had a sense of humor. Or that he seemed to have a way with animals.  _ And I really doubted he knew that Evan the faintest bit like lavender.  _

No, Nathanael didn’t know  _ any _ of that. But  _ I  _ did. 

So why was Evan so stupidly friendly with someone that didn’t even really know him?

“Hey, buddy, you lookin’ a little angry over there,” Plagg says, spread out lazily on my desk.

Realizing I was frowning, I shake my head and sit up. “I just don’t understand.” 

“Then quit worrying about it, man,” he says, his loud yawn echoing through the quiet bedroom. “Besides, he probably wasn’t thinking about you, Adrien, when he was getting ready to smack one on ya.”

“What do you mean?” 

“It’s obvious he likes Chat Noir-- _ not that I can blame him _ \--and civilian you is just a friend.”

“Yeah, but  _ I’m _ Chat Noir,” I stress, facing the Kwami with furrowed brows. “And we’re both, you know…”

“Guys?” Plagg finishes, before breaking into a hysterical laugh when I nod. 

Face burning when he finally calms down, I glare at him frustratedly. This wasn’t really a laughing matter.

Wiping away a tear, his amusement only seems to grow. “Kid, I’ve been around a  _ long _ time, and liking a guy isn’t even in the top 500 worst things I’ve seen. Doesn’t even come close.”

“Yeah, but…” I trail off uneasily. Neither Natalie nor father taught me about these sorts of things.

“Do you think Evan is gross then if it turns out he’s gay?” Plagg asks.

“What? Of course not!” I answer quickly. “He’s kind, smart, and...there’s no way I would ever think that!”

“So what’s the problem?” he draws out.

“It’s the way  _ I  _ feel!” I finally admit loudly. “Ever since he almost kissed me my heart’s been racing at just the thought of him! His smile, the way he gets embarrassed over small things! Even the dark circles under his eyes are starting to become endearing! It has me so confused…” I trail off, rubbing the back of my neck with a groan. 

“Ohoho~ you’ve got it  _ real _ bad, don’t ya?” Plagg asks, an amused grin spreading across his face.

“What?” I question, narrowing my eyes at him.

“You’re in  _ looove _ ,” he sings with a laugh.

I stiffen, stomach dropping. Love? “Impossible,” I wave the suggestion away with a stilted laugh. There was no way I was... _ with Evan _ . 

“Don’t freak out about it,” Plagg sighs, settling on my knee. “There’s nothing wrong with liking him, just like there’s nothing wrong with liking Ladybug.” 

“But I--”

“You don’t need to convince me, you just need to be happy with yourself.”

I still, looking down at my hands. Liking Evan wasn’t something I’ve ever thought about. Sure, it was fun hanging out with him. And hearing him laugh. And he had a nice smile. He was also really kind, and…

Feeling my face warm, I shake my head, embarrassed at the way my heart flutters. There was no way. _ I loved Ladybug.  _

She was strong, smart, and kind. Everything I’d want in a girlfriend. Evan may be all of those too, but it was different! Because...because he was my friend and...there was no way I could like him like that. 

Right?

_ Right... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not super long, but I still hope it was enjoyable to get inside Adrien's head for a bit. He's basically in denial at this point but Plagg is there to help him. 
> 
> I also made an tiny animation that sums up the recent chapters (in my mind) --> [Some sick moves](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/629739354606157824/adrien-all-embarrassed-and-confused-while)


	9. Dark Owl

Leaving school with Alya and Marinette, I cast a glance back at Adrien walking with Nino before focusing back on the girls.

“You two wanna come over to my place for a bit?” Alya asks.

Marinette and I glance at each other before nodding excitedly.

“That'd be awesome!” she says.

“Yeah, I think it’d be nice,” I agree, my smile immediately fading when I spot Mr. Damocles by the exit.

“Come on, hurry up! I don’t have all day, ” he interrupts, urging us out the door.

Holding in a sigh, my shoulders sag as I give Alya an apologetic look. “Sorry, I just remembered that I needed to help out my aunt today.” _More like stop a hopeless old man from getting seriously hurt,_ I think with a small frown.

“Again?” Alya whines before looking at Marinette. “You’ll still be able to come, right?”

The dark-haired girl glances away nervously as she stutters out, “Oh, uh, me too actually! I have to help my parents out at the bakery again!”

“Ugh, this sucks.”

Passing by the principal as Alya bemoans her friendless evening, I bump the girl lightly with my elbow. “We can hang out tomorrow, if you want,” I offer with a small grin.

She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. “Promise?”

“Pinky promise,” I say, my grin growing as I offer her my pinky.

Laughing, she locks hers with mine. “I’ll hold you to that, you little charmer you,” she teases, her laughter growing louder as I look away, embarrassed.

Reaching the corner of the street, I say a quick goodbye to the two before heading towards the flower shop. Face slipping into a scowl as I dread the wasted time saving Mr. Damocles, sorry, _The Owl_ , from his own clumsiness, a sigh works its way out of my mouth. He was really starting to get on my nerves. I didn’t like turning down Alya after she went out of her way to invite me and this week was nothing _but_ that. The only nice thing was that I’d get to see Chat again.

Still a little ashamed of how quickly my chest fluttered at the thought of hanging out with him, I shake my head as I duck into the alley next to the flower shop. Entering through the back, I wave at Aunt Claire before heading upstairs.

Reaching my room on the top floor, I close the door and toss my bag on the bed. “Alright, time to stop Mr. Damocles from hurting himself,” I sigh out.

“It's _The Owl_ , not Mr. Damocles,” Blann corrects with a giggle.

I hold in another sigh and roll my eyes as I open the balcony door. “Sorry, it’s time to stop _The Owl_ from hurting himself.”

Quickly transforming, I hop up to the roof and head to the park. It was his favorite place to “help” people. Landing on the roof of a building across from the entrance, I sit on the ledge and watch for the older masked man.

“You here for _The Owl_ too, Lapin?”

Glancing behind me, I look up at Chat as he lands. “Yeah, something tells me he’ll be here. Call it intuition.”

“Same here. Looks like great minds think alike,” Chat says, sitting next to me with a grin.

Rolling my eyes with a small laugh, I turn back to watching the park. Basking in the comfortable atmosphere that settles between us, my hand itches to take his but I ignore the urge. Just sitting next to him was enough.

“How do you know if you’re really in love?”

Choking on my spit, I whirl around to stare at him with wide-eyes. “Wha--?” my voice cracks. “Why do you want to know?”

He looks away, blush peeking out from his mask. “Nevermind! Forget I said anything! I shouldn’t have asked.”

“N-No! It’s fine,” I say quickly before clearing my throat, “I just...this is about Ladybug, right? Did something happen…?”

He sighs audibly, finger tapping his thigh in a nervous rhythm. “Mine and Ladybug’s relationship is fine. I meant that--just how do you know?” he questions softly.

I swallow dryly, unsure how to answer. This was dangerous territory. “Uh, I guess if you’re heart races or you feel happy whenever they’re around?” I answer, cautious to not say too much.

“You’re right…” he trails off thoughtfully, though he doesn’t say anything else.

Ladybug finally joins us, landing next to Chat with a nod. “We better go stop him now. He’s already halfway up a tree,” she sighs before leaping away, Chat and I hot on her heels.

Reaching him just as he slips down, I charge forward and catch the kitten. The pain from it’s claws digging in my arm is an afterthought as I scratch under its chin with a grin when I land.

“Mr. Dam--uh, Owl,” Ladybug stutters, holding him upside down by her yoyo but I pay it no mind. “This is the fifth time this week we’ve come to your rescue!”

“You’re really gonna get hurt one of these days. At least wear a helmet…” Chat says with a sigh.

“But you don’t wear helmets!” Mr. Damocles objects.

Ladybug rubs the bridge of her nose. “He’s right, Mr. Owl, we’ve told you already, it’s not the same for us. We’re _real_ superheroes.”

“Yeah, we have superpowers,” I state, handing the purring kitten to the little boy.

“Don’t forget our magic suits,” Chat adds, and I have to stop myself from taking the opportunity to check him out. Frowning at the news crew that seemingly appear out of nowhere, I do my best to ignore them as they crows around us.

“Since I was a little boy I’ve only ever dreamed of becoming a real superhero,” Mr. Damocles says, a boom mic shoved in his face distastefully.

Pointedly refusing to look over at the news anchor already reporting, a small hand grabbing mine stops me from helping Ladybug and Chat help the older man up.

Looking down at the boy and then his mother, she smiles lightly. “He wants to take a picture with you, if that’s okay.”

“Of course!” I answer happily, grinning as I kneel next to the boy while his mother pulls out her phone.

Flashing a peace sign as the kid beside me beams, I chuckle at his enthusiasm. With the mother and son duo thanking me, I wave them off and join Ladybug and Chat as Mr. Damocles speaks to the camera.

“Thanks to sound advice from my good friends, Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat Noir,” he begins, “I am certain I will do better next time.”

I’m pretty sure the three of us facepalm at the same time.

“I will be reviewing my weaponry and engaging in training, because, wherever there’s injustice, there’s…” he poses dramatically, “ _The Owl!_ ” He then suddenly shouts, “Owl Mist!” before shaking some sort of powder in the air and rushing out of the park.

Watching him fumble away as car horns blair in the distance, I sigh and shake my head. This was ridiculous.

“Any comments?” the reporter asks, camera focused back on the three of us.

Not answering, I focus more on sweeping off the weird powder clinging to my white suit as Ladybug says something about him being a great guy.

“But, to all the children of Paris, you mustn't copy him, okay? It’s very dangerous,” she adds.

“Ladybug’s right. So, don’t try this at home. Okay, kids?” he winks at the camera.

“Sound advice, Ladybug and Chat Noir,” the reporter agrees, focus quickly shifting to me as the camera zooms in on me. “A quick question, if you will, Lapin Blanc.” She doesn’t give me a chance to turn her down. “What do you have to say about your almost month long disappearance? Many Parisians are wondering what happened.”

Stepping back as she shoves the microphone in my face, I struggle for a proper response before Ladybug swoops in.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but that’s no one’s business but our own.”

Smiling as I follow after her as she leaves, I can’t help but think about how cool she was. I _still_ clam up in front of cameras after all this time.

The three of us eventually come to a stop and Ladybug sits on the roof with a tired sigh. The setting sun reminding me of just how much time we wasted dealing with Mr. Damocles.

“You okay, Lapin?” she asks as I take the spot next to her. “I know you’re not good in front of cameras.”

I flash her a grin. “I’m fine. Though I’m more concerned with that principal, Mr. Damocles.”

“He has a good heart, but this is bound to end badly,” Chat says, on the other side of Ladybug.

“And we can’t spend all our time watching out for him, either…” she sighs before yawning tiredly. “It’s turning into a full time job.”

“Perhaps we should convince him to stop trying to be a superhero by...scaring him, for example?” he suggests.

“And shatter the poor man’s dream? No way! On the contrary, maybe we should help him make his dream come true!”

I snort, unable to help myself. “You really think that would work?”

She frowns. “You don’t?”

“Sorry to say, but no. All you’ll do is have him believing that he really _is_ a superhero.” I cross my arms. And that was putting it politely.

“Yeah, but he said all he wanted was to be a hero, even if it was just for one day.”

“Of course!” shouts Chat. “If we make him a hero for a day, like he’s always dreamed of, he’ll be happy and quit playing this dangerous game. Spot on, as usual, Milady! We just need to figure out how…”

I stare in bewilderment at the two. Were they seriously planning on playing along with his delusions? “Why can’t we just tell him point blank that he _can’t_ be a hero? Do we really need to have him believing he’s something he’s not?”

“Okay, Lapin, do you have a better idea?” Ladybug questions, and I frown. At least she wasn’t as dismissive as before. Only barely though.

“Look, all I’m saying is that sometimes it's cruel to be kind,” I say with a sigh. “He isn’t a child and shouldn’t be treated like one. He’s a grown man risking his and others safety trying to play hero. If I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t want to be _pandered_ to. I’d want the truth.”

“He’s just trying to help,” she says, still not understanding.

I make a noise in the back of my throat before standing. I would go along with a lot of things, but deceiving and indulging someone’s foolish fantasies wasn’t one of them. “I get not wanting to hurt his feelings, but having him think he’s helping when he’s really not…it doesn't feel right.”

“Come on, Lapin, we’re just trying to make him happy,” Chat tries, only making me further irritated.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not helping you trick him,” I say finally, mumbling a quick goodbye before taking off. If I looked at them I’d probably cave because I’m no better than a lousy doormat.

Reaching Aunt Claire’s, I drop down onto the balcony and change back as I enter my room.

“Why don’t you want to help them?” Blann asks, just like I knew he would.

Tossing my gloves on my desk as I fall onto my bed, I kick my shoes off and roll on my back. “It sort of reminded me about Volpina,” I admit. “She made it seem like they were only going along with my whims of being a hero and I wasn’t actually helping.”

“But they didn’t really think that!” he says loudly, floating above me with a worried look.

“I know...but it felt that way for me.” I close my eyes. “I wouldn’t want anyone to feel the way I did, and I have a feeling that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

\------

“You’re still coming over today, right?” Alya asks.

I nod, side-eyeing Mr. Damocles as he rushes people out once again.

“You guys go and have fun, my parents need me again tonight,” Marinette sighs. “But I’ll be free tomorrow for sure.”

“I hope so. You look exhausted,” I say, giving her a worried look.

Waving away my concern, she heads off towards her house as I quickly follow after Alya.

Chatting with her as we reach her apartment, she pauses at the door and smiles nervously. “I feel like I should warn you about my older sister. She’s a bit...extreme, so just be prepared,” she warns.

Swallowing heavily, I wring my hands and cautiously head inside behind her.

Immediately taken aback by a loud voice greeting her, I briefly debate booking it back home before the tall woman’s eyes settle on me.

“Who’s this?”

“This is my friend, Evan,” Alya says, motioning to me with a grin. “We’re going to hang out for a bit.”

“ _Hang out,_ huh?” her sister echoes disbelievingly, staring holes right through me.

“Nora, come on, he’s a nice dude.”

“Hey!” she grabs Alya and loudly whispers, “I thought I told you to call me Anansi around people.”

Alya shakes her head, slipping out from under her sister’s arm. “Maybe if you’re nice to my friends I’ll think about it.”

Nora rolls her eyes. “I’ve gotta head out for a match, so no funny business. _That means you, camera._ ” She levels a harsh glare my way.

“O-Of course not, ma’am,” I say quickly, not questioning the odd nickname as I stand up straight.

“Haha! Finally some respect! Maybe you’re not so bad after all, camera,” she laughs, shouldering her gym bag with a smirk. “Dad’ll be home in a bit, so make sure to behave.”

Standing back awkwardly as she leaves, I let out a relieved sigh when the door clicks closed. “You’re right, she is a bit intense,” I mumble, kneading my shoulder as I relax.

“I know you’re an introvert so I thought it would be best to warn you. She sounds a lot scarier than she actually is anyway,” Alya answers with a shrug before leading me towards her room.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the large map taped on her wall when I enter. “What’s that?”

“Hm? Oh,” her eyes widen excitedly, “I mark down all of the places Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat Noir have fought akumatized people.”

Sweeping my gaze across the stickers littered all over the map, it’s a little terrifying just how accurate her placements were. _She really was like Marinette when it came to obsessing over certain things._

Turning on her computer, she says, “I have to check something for my blog real quick and then we can _party_.”

Laughing at her cheeky grin, I sit on the foot of her bed and busy myself with looking over her bookshelf.

A knock suddenly comes from the balcony door, and I look over as Ladybug and Chat step inside. _Of course,_ whatever they had planned just had to involve one of my few friends.

“Ladybug! Chat Noir!” Alya shouts, jumping out of her chair. “W-What are you guys doing here?”

“We need your guys help,” Ladybug states, a bundle of cardboard tucked under her arm.

“Us?” she questions, shocked. “Totally! Whatever you need!”

Launching into a lengthy explanation of her big plan to trick Mr. Damocles, I only half-listen. Instead, I spend my time casting brief glances at Chat. He looked really nice today.

Unluckily meeting his eye, I quickly glance down with an embarrassed flush. Just my luck that I’d get caught checking him out.

“So do you think you can do that?” Ladybug finishes, looking at Alya and I for our approval.

“Totally! Sounds fun,” Alya says, and I nod along because I had no idea just what she wanted from me. And I wasn’t about to confess that I was too busy looking at Chat to hear her explain.

Alya excitably picks up her phone, dialing some number and holding in a snicker as she deepens her voice to say, “Is this _The Owl_?” when they pick up.

“Who is this? How do you know my secret identity?” Mr. Damocles’ voice rings through the speaker.

I snicker quietly. _How could we not?_

“I am Cardboard Girl, the supervillain!” she continues. “I’ve not only kidnapped one of your precious students, Evan Mercier--”

_So I was bait, nice._

“But also Ladybug and Chat Noir!” She laughs evilly, head thrown back and really getting into the role.

“Help us, Owl!” Ladybug begs into the phone, Chat doing the same before they cast me expectant looks.

Sighing quietly, I give a lackluster, “ _Please hurry, Owl_ ,” before the phone is turned back to Alya.

“Release them immediately!” Mr. Damocles demands, causing Alya to laugh dramatically once again.

“Never! And I’ll never tell you that I’m holding them at Place des Vosges square, either!”

He couldn’t _really_ fall for this, right?

Though I’m proven wrong when his triumphant laugh echoes through the speaker. “You gave yourself away, Cardboard Girl! Now you shall face the feathered fury of... _The Owl!_ ”

Tumbling sounds through the phone before Alya hangs up and grins. “So how was it?”

“Nailed it,” Chat says, and I nod in agreement.

“Now you just need to put this on.” Ladybug pulls out the cardboard outfit.

“Uh...you sure about this, uh...outfit?” questions Alya.

“Definitely,” Ladybug and Chat state.

“Yeah...okay, if you say so.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to put this on until we reach the park,” Ladybug offers, folding up the cardboard and heading towards the open balcony. “Though we need to hurry. So I’ll carry you and Chat can carry Evan.”

Almost choking on my breath as Alya eagerly holds onto her, my face warms as I stand.

“Shouldn’t have too much trouble, right Evan?” Chat jokes, though his cat ears twitch just enough to show that he really was nervous.

Not that I could blame him, considering the last time we got close I tried to kiss him.

Ladybug and Alya leaving first, I glance at him and bite the inside of my cheek. “I can run there if you’re uncomfortable,” I say softly, tugging at my gloves anxiously. I didn’t want him worrying about me doing something.

“What? You don’t... _why do you always think that?_ ” he mumbles the last part to himself with a frown. “Listen, nothing you can do will make me uncomfortable, okay? So just climb on--” he turns and points at his back-- “and enjoy the wind in your hair.”

Laughing softly as I carefully wrap my arms around his neck, my breath certainly does _not_ hitch when he grabs just above my knees to hoist me further on his back.

Tightening my hold just enough so I don’t fall off, my pulse pounds in my ears as he jumps off the balcony. It was different, not being the one doing the actual running. But it was okay this time, because I could enjoy the cool scent that was Chat without being too obvious. Breathing in as I shift just a smidge closer, my mouth tugs into a smile despite myself.

Quickly reaching the park, I slip off his back and hope my embarrassment wasn’t too readable.

“See?” Chat turns to me with twinkling eyes. “Better now that you’re not sick, isn’t it?”

I roll my eyes. “Almost throw up on someone’s shoes once and they’ll never let you forget it,” I sigh out before smiling. “But it _was_ pretty fun.”

“Then we’ll have to do it more often,” he says, something in his expression making me acutely aware of how close we were.

Fighting back the urge to caress his cheek, I admonish myself when I catch my eyes wandering down to his lips. “With you? Anytime,” I answer, grinning lightly as my heart thrums in my chest.

He blushes, red peeking out from under his mask as his eyes flicker across my face. Opening his mouth, he doesn’t say anything, instead taking a step back and clearing his throat. “Let’s get this show on the road,” he says with a wobbly smirk, nearly tripping over his own feet as he turns away.

“Alya’s all ready to go,” Ladybug says, and I nearly choke on a laugh when I look over at my friend.

Decked out, head to toe in a cardboard costume, Alya can’t even cross her arms. “Don’t forget, Evan, you’re still my captive. So no laughing,” she grumbles.

Barely holding in another peel of laughter, I nod my head apologetically and calm myself down.

“Quick! He’s coming,” Ladybug shouts, positioning me behind Alya as her and Chat get on their knees a few feet away from us.

Spotting him tumbling over the gate, Alya takes a deep breath before speaking. “Give up, Ladybug and Chat Noir! I, evil Cardboard Girl--” she flashes me a quick glare as I snort-- “have taken you Miraculous’. No one can save you now! Give up now or this hapless citizen is doomed!”

With her motioning towards me, I sigh before pretending to struggle as if tied up. “Oh no, please someone help…” I drone out, still finding the whole thing rather pointless.

Ladybug and Chat also despair, much more dramatically, as Mr. Damocles reaches us.

Hooting loudly, he pulls out a grappling gun and points it at Alya with a yell. Missing her by a mile, it ricochets against multiple objects before sailing over the fence and landing in a garbage truck. Dragging Mr. Damocles across the courtyard, I wince when he slides into a garbage can.

Ladybug and Chat rush to his side as people take their phones out. “Mr. Damocles! Is everything okay? You’re not hurt are you?” she asks worriedly.

“I am _not_ Mr. Damocles! I am The Owl!” he shouts angrily before noticing the bystanders surrounding him. “You’ve revealed my secret identity!” he cries in horror, breaking into tears.

I don’t take any joy in being right, but I wasn’t surprised in the slightest that I was.

The two apologize, though it’s useless, Mr. Damocles running off in tears. It was all so eerily similar to what happened with me that I was physically uncomfortable.

“Wow, that was bad,” Alya whispers as we head over to the hero duo.

_That was an understatement._

She pulls off her cardboard helmet with a sympathetic look. “Sorry it was a bust, Ladybug. You were trying to do the right thing.”

“ _Yeah..._ now we just have to hope no one hears about it,” Chat says as he scratches the back of his head.

_That wasn’t going to happen_. There was a whole group of people taking pictures and taping the entire encounter. They should’ve just listened to me and told him straight out he _couldn’t_ be a superhero.

Ladybug sighs, and I do feel a little guilty at her bummed out look.

“Let’s get you guys home.” Scooping up Alya, she leaps away, leaving me and Chat.

“Well then, ready for another trip?” he asks, offering his hand with a dramatic bow.

Laughing, I roll my eyes and impulsively take it, treading that dangerous line between friendly but not _too_ friendly.

He freezes, staring at our joined hands and I really, _really_ feel like I’ve ended up on the _too_ friendly side. Just as I pull away with an apology on the tip of my tongue, he tightens his grip and refuses to meet my curious gaze.

Holding it for a few moments, he glances up at me through his lashes, his eyes dropping down ( _to my lips? No, Impossible_ ) before his face reddens enough to rival Nathanael’s.

Blush trailing all the way down his neck and disappearing underneath his costume, he takes a shaky breath before tugging me forward and scoping me up in his arms without a word. “J-Just hold on,” he stutters out, and I only have a moment to cling to him before he’s leaping up and running across the skyline.

Finding myself enraptured by the blush dancing across his face, I have to remind myself to breathe. _He really was going to be the death of me._

Reaching Alya’s balcony, he drops me off and bolts away before I could even say thanks. Watching him disappear, I frown, glancing down at my hand. He...wanted to hold it right? But…

“ _So_ ,” Alya drags out in a tone I already don’t like, reluctantly turning to face her. “What’s with all the _atmosphere~_ between you two?”

Uneasy at the grin spread across her face, my own face warms as I roll my eyes. “There’s no _“atmosphere”_ between us, Alya. Whatever that means.”

“It _means_ I think Chat has the hots for you!”

I sputter, choking on my spit as I stare down at her. Was she crazy? “What? That’s impossible!”

“Listen,” she sighs. “I have a sixth sense for these types of things, and I’m telling you Chat is totally into you.”

I frown, gripping the front of my shirt anxiously. “Trust me, there’s no way he feels that way,” I say quietly. Even now the truth still hurts.

“Wait, is he…” she trails off, eyes wide.

Looking away, I nod tersely. _Yes, Alya, he is the guy I like._

“Wow. For real? Chat Noir?” she let out a relieved sigh when I nod again. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”

I give her a questioning look and she smiles.

“I was starting to worry that you and Adrien had a thing for each other. With the longing looks and tension between the two of you.”

I shake my head. “I don’t see Adrien like that.” Though, a small part of me thought he _was_ ridiculously cute.

She pats my shoulder with a grin. “Thank god! I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if I had to deal with a real life love triangle.”

“I would never do that to Marinette!” I say hastily, looking at her worriedly. They didn’t think I could do something like that, right?

“I know, I know,” she laughs. “Now come on and tell me _all_ about your crush on the illustrious Chat Noir.”

I groan. _Great._

Finding myself seated on her couch with some action movie playing in the background, my feelings for Chat come tumbling out like a waterfall. I don’t tell her everything-- me being a hero for one-- but I tell her enough. About wanting to hold his hand, hugging him, even wanting to kiss him once or twice. By the end I felt a lot lighter, like talking to her about my feelings made them less heavy.

Humming through a spoonful of ice cream, she leans back. “I think you should confess. I mean, it worked out with me and Nino.”

“I don’t think I could handle him rejecting me,” I answer truthfully, swallowing my strawberry ice cream with a frown.

“But you don’t know that he will. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot better getting it all off your chest.” She stands, stretching her arms high above her head. “I have to go to the bathroom real quick.”

Sliding further into the couch as she disappears into the bathroom, I nibble on my spoon absentmindedly. Confessing would never work…

“I think you should listen to Alya and go for it!” Blann squeaks, head popping out of my camera case.

I huff, rolling my eyes. “You--!” A sudden loud crash has me ducking forward just as the window behind me shatters, glass spraying everywhere across the living room. Launching myself off the couch, a large hand grabs the back of my neck as a odorless mist is sprayed in my face.

A headache immediately pounds at my temple, eyes growing heavy as I feebly struggle to get away. Arms suddenly too heavy to move, my head lolls back as I find just enough energy to look back at my attacker.

Large, owlish eyes glare back at me, and one thought lingers through my fading consciousness.

_I told them it wouldn’t work._

\------

Blinking wearily as the feeling of cool grass tickles my nose, I groan tiredly in the back of my throat. Unable to move my arms, I struggle to regain control of my limbs, still trying to understand _what just happened._

Settling on sifting on my side, I force my eyes back open and squint through the darkness. Was this...the stadium? What... _Mr. Damocles!_ That bird looking guy was him, right?

I sigh exhaustedly. I told them dancing around the situation wasn’t going to magically make it all better. And now _I_ , for some reason, was tied up in the middle of a soccer field because of it.

“Evan?! Are you okay?!”

Squinting my eyes as a dark shape runs towards me, the only reason I don’t panic is because I’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“ _Chat,_ ” I breathe out, throat stinging.

Kneeling next to me, he touches my face, the warmth of his skin radiating through his gloved hand. “Jeez, you freezing. How long were you out here?” he asks worriedly.

I grunt, fighting back a wave of dizziness as he helps me sit up. “How’d you know I was here?” I croak out, wincing when he touches my numb, bound arms.

“Sorry!” he apologizes quickly, his outline shifting as he pulls away. “Mr. Damocles made a big broadcast about hurting you and some zoo animals if we didn’t come. So, since I’m the best hero out there, I came to your rescue.” I can’t see his face, but the twitch of his cat ears shows his bravado was just for show.

Before I can say anything, bright lights turn on, nearly blinding me in their intensity as Mr. Damocles shouts, “I am not Mr. Damocles! I am The Dark Owl!”

Chat’s eyes harden as he stands and turns towards the villain up above. “Something about having hostages doesn’t seem very heroic to me,” he quips, fists clenched as he keeps himself in front of me. “Maybe if you let him go, we could team up. Since you want to be a hero and all.”

Mr. Damocles, _The Dark Owl_ I remind myself, doesn’t play along with his banter, only demanding to know where Ladybug was.

Speaking quietly to himself, Chat announces, “Ladybug will be here any minute.”

“Then you can be the first to place your Miraculous in the box in the middle of the stadium!” The Dark Owl demands. “Or…”

“Boom! Okay, I get it!”

As he heads to the large crate panic swirls inside me. He wouldn’t just give up, right? “Chat!”

He throws me a quick wink before continuing forward.

Instantly relieved that he and Ladybug apparently have a plan, I relax and focus on trying to slip out of the rope tied tightly around my arms.

A loud metal clang rings through the air, and I look up just as Chat catches something that was thrown from up above. Landing, he dangles the object towards me with a grin. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

Ladybug suddenly barrels into him with a scream, the button flying out of his hands and back into The Dark Owl’s.

“Ha! Oops!” he looks down at it with a gasp. “Time flies! This is your last chance to save the helpless kitten!” Throwing the button on top of the crate, Ladybug and Chat stand.

“What’s he got against cats?” Chat questions.

“Heroes don’t hurt innocent beings, Dark Owl. Especially people!” Ladybug shouts.

“Then give me your Miraculous’, otherwise I’m not responsible for what happens next! Owl Talon!”

Tangled together as Dark Owl shoots his grappling gun at them, they quickly roll out of the way as he jumps at them.

Struggling more earnestly to break free as Chat gets them loose with his Cataclysm, I double my efforts while my arms scream at me painfully. Watching them fight, I can’t help but feel foolish for not helping them. What kind of hero was I if I wasn’t helping take down the bad guy?

Getting some distance between them, Ladybug activates her Lucky Charm before Chat goes after the detonator.

“Don’t worry, Trouble, we’ll get you out of there lickity-split!” he shouts, though his panicked yelp from atop the crate doesn’t exactly instill confidence.

Ladybug joining him as Dark Owl throws a boomerang at her, his words just make me even more worried.

“Albert! Activate the hatch!”

Shouting helplessly as they fall inside, I demand him to let them go.

Glaring at me, he arrogantly says, “I am the Guardian of Paris! I am The Dark Owl!”

Gritting my teeth as he laughs loudly, I freeze as he orders someone named Albert to drop the bus. The screen on the crate showing the kitten and bus disappearing before my eyes before they even meet.

Laughing again, he makes the screen change to the inside of the crate. “You naives! It was a hologram all along!” he shouts, hands on his waist. “So, how does it feel to lose for once and be humiliated? Did you really think I would hurt a kitten? Yet alone an innocent bystander? This next trap, though, is very real. The room you’re in is filling up with whipped cream as we speak.”

_Whipped cream?_

“Whipped cream is too thick to swim in, but too runny to float on! You’re going to drown, softly but surely! Unless, that is, you accept defeat and give me your Miraculous!”

A deep, horrible panic twists in my gut as I stare at the screen. I should be helping! Not tied up like a damsel in distress! Kicking frustratedly at the back of Dark Owl’s leg, I do my best to temper my tears when he yelps and turns to me with a glare.

“I don’t relish the thought of hurting you, but continue to be a nuisance and I won’t hesitate.”

“You better leave him alone!” Chat yells, banging on the metal wall separating us.

“Oh? Then you better hurry,” Dark Owl says ominously, though he doesn’t look at me again, only speaking up when Ladybug squirts the camera with ink.

“Do you really think it’ll make a difference if I can’t see you, Ladybug? There’s nowhere to escape! If you don’t give me your Miraculous now, I’ll simply take them after The Owl’s whipped cream had buried you!”

My heart pounds anxiously in my chest. What could I do? _What could I do?_

Abandoning all semblance of subtlety, I thrash around, trying desperately to loosen the ropes even a centimeter. I was going to _kill_ him when I got free! I was gonna...gonna…

_Gonna what exactly?_

Tears threaten to spill over as I bite the inside of my cheek painfully. They were going to give up their Miraculous’ and that would be it. No more meeting up to save Paris. _No more meeting Chat._ In fact, I’d probably never see them again, our heroic personas the only thing binding us together.

“You win, Dark Owl!” Ladybug yells, and my blood chills.

With my tears finally spilling down my face, my lungs heave as I try not to have a panic attack. Ladybug was smart and resourceful. This wasn’t the first time she had to think quickly to get out of a hopeless situation. So this couldn’t be it.

_This couldn’t be_.

Wanting to throw up when the chute opens and Dark Owl pulls out two familiar looking pieces of jewelry, I lean forward, gasping for air. This really was it. It was over. Hawk Moth won.

“Albert! Transfer!” Dark Owl orders, the small container containing the Miraculous’ flying away as he laughs, “I am the best bird!”

Unable to speak, I stare at the ground, thoughts racing.

“You’re free to go now,” he says, easily untying the rope as it coils around my knees.

But I couldn’t move, eyes unfocused and body cold.

That is, until I hear a word I thought I’d never hear again.

“Cataclysm!”

Nearly breaking my neck with how quickly I look up, my eyes widen as a fresh wave of tears blur my vision as the sight of the crumbled crate.

_They were okay!_

Without another thought I stand on wobbly legs and dart past Dark Owl, throwing myself at Chat and slamming my lips against his. I was so glad he was still Chat!

Holding his face in my hands, I kiss him with all I’m worth. Months and months of pinning and yearning pouring out of me. All the times I’ve almost lost him. All the times I’ve felt stupidly jealous. I gave him everything.

_And still wanted to give him more._

It’s only when he doesn’t respond that I’ve realized I messed everything up.

Tearing myself off him, I glance around at the shocked faces staring at me. Even Dark Owl was stupefied, the impending battle put on hold all because of my own stupidity. And Chat…

He was the most shocked out of all of us. Eyes wide and mouth agape. How was I so foolish as to do something like that to him? What was I thinking?

_God, I was stupid._

“I...I…” I struggle to speak, heart shattering as I suck in sharp breath, the reality of what I just did hitting me fully. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, tears betraying my attempt at hiding just how much I hated myself. “ _I’m so sorry_.”

Quickly rushing towards the tunnel, I wipe my eyes and curse at myself. I wanted to blame Alya. Her encouraging words about him possibly liking me back giving me the smallest spark of hope. But I wouldn’t, because it wasn’t her that got all emotional and kissed him. It was me. Stupid, impulsive me.

_Stupid, stupid me._

Ducking into the dark of the tunnel, I take a deep breath and squeeze my eyes closed. Now wasn’t the time to lament about my horrible mistake. I had to get out there and help.

“Please don’t cry,” Blann pleads softly, tiny paw wiping away the tears trickling down my face. “He didn’t look disgusted, just surprised.”

I swipe a hand through my hair, forcing my heartache deep down under lock and key. I didn’t have time to deal with this right now. “Let’s go, Blann.”

Quickly transforming before he could say anything, I school my expression and take a deep breath before rushing out of the tunnel.

Spotting them fighting Dark Owl, I jump into the fray and block some of the boomerangs with my tonfas. Forcing myself to grin jovially, I apologize for being late. “You’re lucky I happen to enjoy late night strolls. Now, any idea where his akuma is?” I ask, twisting out of the way of another weapon.

“No idea!” Chat shouts, and I almost trip over myself, unable to look at him.

“But we know it’s not in any of his weapons!” adds Ladybug.

Running out of boomerangs, Dark Owl charges at us and Chat and I cover Ladybug as she summons her Lucky Charm. Refusing to cave in to the storm of emotions at being so close to Chat after what I did, I run alongside him as we face the villain.

Sliding on my knees, I jab at his stomach as Chat swings at him from overhead. Busy with blocking Chat’s attack, I spring back up and go to hit his side.

Dodging my blow, he grabs the front of my costume and throws me back.

Quickly righting myself before I hit the ground, I pause as Ladybug pulls out a comic book.

“Do you think you can defeat me by reading to me, Ladybug?” Dark Owl laughs before Chat and I rush back towards him.

Clearing my mind as we fall into a familiar dance of weaving around each other to attack, we manage to overwhelm him and pin him to the ground. Resting my knee on his free arm, Chat twists the other one behind his back tightly.

“He’s all yours, Milady!” he yells.

“Dark Owl’s akumatized object isn’t on him. It’s in his lair!” she yells. “Lapin, I need you to take me to the school, now!”

Nodding, I head over to her and scoop her up in my arms.

Wrapping her arms around my shoulders, she shouts, “Don’t let him get away, Chat!” before I activate my Miraculous and leap out of the stadium.

Rushing towards the school, I glance back as Dark Owl flies towards us before Chat jumps on his back. Quickly disappearing behind us as I speed away, we reach the school in record time and I set Ladybug down in the principal’s office.

Loud alarms blare in the wire and screen filled room, an eerie red glow giving it an ominous touch.

“A computer! Of course!” Ladybug turns to me. “Go help Chat while I take care of this.”

“Got it,” I say, disappearing out the window. Just as I jump away, I skid to a stop, Dark Owl swooping inside just out of the corner of my eye. Quickly turning around, I leap back into the open window, barreling my feet into the villain’s back.

Sending him stumbling forward into his desk, computer crashing to the floor, I catch the familiar earring that flies from his hand. “Ladybug, you’re--”

“Don’t look!” she shouts, and I dutifully close my eyes. Holding the piece of jewelry out to her, I carefully reopen my eyes when I hear her purifying the akuma.

As ladybugs sweep through the office, I level her with a knowing look.

“I know, I know,” she sighs, palms up defensively. “You were right, I made everything worse.”

I shake my head, patting her head with a small laugh. “At least you tried.” Hearing Chat land on the windowsill, I freeze and swallow dryly. “I have to go.”

Sliding past Chat, who still looked a little dazed, I give him a quick smile before leaping away. I wanted nothing more than to get home and forget what a fool I made of myself today.

\------

Collapsing on my bed with a drawn out groan, I relish the silence of my darkened room.

I was way past my curfew when I got home, and explaining that I got kidnapped certainly didn’t calm my frazzled aunt. I really did her a service by not mentioning I was drugged also. I had to eat warmed up dinner, not that I was complaining, while listening to both her and Madeleine lecture me about being kidnapped so often.

_Not like I could control it._

Sighing tiredly, my mind inevitably wanders back to earlier and I want to die. I really allowed myself to overreact and kiss him. Me, who talked this big game about being content never showing my feelings, went and kissed him without a second thought.

Frowning, I bury my face in my pillow with a sniffle.

The only solace in this whole messed up situation was that I could still be around him as Lapin Blanc. And if I went by his reaction I wouldn’t be seeing him anytime soon as Evan Mercier.

“Why am I so stupid?” I groan, absolutely hating my entire existence.

A small body lays on the back of my head. “Don’t say that!” Blann whines, tugging lightly at my wet brown strands. “You just got swept up in emotion.”

_Yeah, emotions I should’ve been able to control._

If I didn’t spend half my shower crying I’d probably be bawling my eyes out right now.

Feeling around for my blanket, I pull it over me and close my eyes. Maybe if I was lucky this’ll all turn out to just be a bad dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a lot had happened. Evan finally reached the end of his rope and kissed Chat, but then immediately regretted it. Now Alya knows that he likes Chat Noir. And Adrien's/Chat's feelings are getting more obvious. Because I like to imagine Evan as more a "do now, deal with the consequences later" it really was only a matter of time before he'd slip up and do something. It wasn't how he would've wanted his first kiss to go down, but he'll cry it out in like a week or two lol
> 
> I'm planning next chapter to be Evan's birthday, cliche akumatized villain attack and everything, and have some real nice fluff. You know, instead of the angst I like to drown him in.   
> I'm just sooo ready for these idiots to get on the same wavelength, and his birthday is literally a goldmine of possibilities. 
> 
> And here, the [kiss](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/630636884246380544/i-dont-know-why-i-basically-drew-the-whole-thing) (please ignore the horrid attempt at consistent side profiles lol)


	10. Evan's Birthday Bash

Chewing the last of my eggs absentmindedly, I stare at the calendar next to the door with furrowed brows. The date, circled in bright red sharpie, almost seemed to mock me, reminding me just what day it was.

_My birthday._

I never understood the hype surrounding birthdays. Sure, it was fun going to one, but other than that there was no real point. Besides, birthdays in Germany were completely different from birthdays in France. The responsibility of throwing the party was up to whoever's birthday it was. And even then, only close friends and family were invited.

So no surprise parties and no grand celebrations.

Which was fine by me, because I didn’t see my birth as something to celebrate. If anything, it was always a cold, lonely affair. There was no special cake, no family to celebrate with, and definitely no gifts. Just the heavy silence that always filled the house like every other day.

Which is precisely why I didn’t bother telling anyone that today was my birthday.

Aunt Claire knew, naturally, my social worker and therapist too, but that was expected. It just didn’t feel...important...to let others know. It was just another day, albeit with a faint air of melancholy.

Realizing that it was time to go, I stand and go to grab my dishes, only to have them swept out from under me by a grinning Madeleine.

“Mom said no chores for the birthday boy!” she says, dumping them in the sink before I could object.

Rubbing my neck, I decide to let it go and grab my messenger bag with a sigh. “I gotta go. Good luck on your ballet tryouts.”

“You and mom will have front row seats after I get the lead part!”

Grinning lightly at her enthusiasm, I give her a quick goodbye before heading down the stairs. Also giving Aunt Claire a quick wave before leaving through the back door, I head to school, a little eager to get the day over with.

Reaching the school, I head to my locker, Alya and Nino appearing out of nowhere.

“Hey, dude, how’s life?” Nino asks as he leans against the locker next to me.

I shrug. “Fine, I guess. And you?”

“Man, I’m doing great today!” he says enthusiastically. “So great that we should hang out after school and just bask in the awesomeness!”

Pausing in switching out my books, I give him a look. “Uh...I guess? It’s not like I have anything else to do today…”

He whoops and I duck my head in embarrassment as some people glance over at us.

“Wish I could go,” Alya sighs dramatically with her hands on her hips, “but I have to babysit my little sisters tonight.”

Giving the two odd looks, the warning bell goes off before I could question their over-the-top behavior. Shaking my head, I follow after them as we head up to class. They were the more dramatic out of the group so it wasn’t _too_ odd I suppose.

The first thing I spot entering the classroom is Adrien scribbling on a piece of paper with an intense frown. Things, to no surprise, were still just as awkward as usual. Though there was an almost subtle shift in his behavior. His eyes lingered on me longer, with an intensity that had me clenching my jaw.

It reminded me so much of Chat’s gaze that I usually ended up looking away first.

Mood immediately dropping at the reminder of Chat, and my recent screwup, I settle in my seat and hide my face in my arms.

It’s only been three days since I kissed him, but it felt like an eternity. I kept up a brave front around others, but I definitely stayed up till the sun was beginning to rise just thinking about how stupid I was. I was so, so lucky that I had a lapse of judgement when I wasn’t Lapin Blanc, because I could at least continue being his friend.

But that didn’t matter now. Evan Mercier would now forever be known as a perverted fanboy.

I groan lowly. Alya would probably, no, _definitely_ call me overdramatic for thinking that.

“Are you okay, Evan?” a soft voice asks.

Peeking over at my seatmate, I smile lightly. “I’m fine, Nathanael. Just a bit tired.”

He blushes, as usual, and I laugh quietly. He was always the same, no matter what.

With the second bell going off, the teacher begins class and I sit up, trying to at least _seem_ interested.

Class passes by at an agonizing pace, lunch coming as an immense relief.

One of the last ones to arrive at the cafeteria, I spot my group of friends already chatting away at one of the tables.

“Sorry I’m late,” I apologize with a sigh. “Miss Bustier was talking to me about my history test…”

“That bad, huh?” Marinette remarks, expression sympathetic as I nod.

“Don’t sweat it, bro. Just take a seat and forget about all that nonsense!” Nino says, smacking the seat next to him with a grin.

“Aren’t you just saying that because you failed the history test too?” Alya remarks, making Nino gasp dramatically.

The tension in my shoulders fade away with a chuckle, “At least I’m not alone.” Sitting next to the offended looking brunette, I notice Adrien glancing at me out of the corner of my eye.

“That’s right, dude! We’re riding the train of defeat together!” Nino boasts, grinning crookedly as he points his fork at his girlfriend. “And someone’s just jealous she wasn’t invited.”

Biting my tongue to stop the laughter from bubbling up at the expression that crosses Alya’s face, I shake my head and hide my grin with a drink.

With the two squabbling away, I almost completely forget about the heaviness weighing me down. If I _had_ to celebrate my birthday, this was how I’d want it to be.

Lunch finishes far too soon for my liking, and we’re back to class for the next couple of hours until I can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the school day comes to a close.

Heading out of the school with everyone, I barely get a word in before the three scatter, leaving just me and Nino at the entrance. Chatting about random things as we just meander through the city, he keeps checking his phone nervously.

“Is something wrong?” I finally ask after the almost dozenth time. “You seem a little...distracted.”

He quickly stuffs his phone in his pocket with a guilty laugh. “Nah, dude, don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Narrowing my eyes, I decide not to press the issue. Whatever it was wasn’t any of my business.

Letting out a relieved sigh when I don’t question him further, he goes back to talking about his newest video game with gusto. Halfway through his rant about the difficulty of one of the bosses, his phone goes off and he quickly answers it on the first ring.

Turning from me, he has a hushed conversation with whoever called, casting several glances my way before hanging up and clearing his throat. “So, uh, Alya called and said she could hang out now. Her mom--uh, no, her dad! Is coming home early so she wants to join us.”

“I mean...I guess? I don’t mind,” I answer slowly, unable to ignore his suspicious behavior. What was going on?

“Great! That’s great!” he says happily. “But first, your aunt is, like, a florist right?”

“Yeah…?”

“Cool. I want to get Alya some flowers as a, uh, as a surprise, you know? Since she likes surprises.”

Nodding, I motion towards the direction of Aunt Claire’s flower shop with a smile. “We’ll have to double back, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

Heading down the street, Nino casts me a look before clearing his throat. “Do you like surprises? Like...surprise birthday types of surprises?” he asks, and I shrug in response.

“I don’t really like surprises, but I did have fun setting up for Marinette’s party.”

He seems to deflate as he tugs at his cap. “Haha, yeah, surprise parties aren’t for everyone…”

Unsure how to answer to his despondent words, silence falls between us until we reach the flower shop.

Seeing the lights off out front, I furrow my brows. She never closed this early…

“Come on,” I lead him through the alley next to the shop, “I’m not sure why she closed so early, but I think she’ll make a bouquet if I ask.”

Fishing my key out of my pocket, I unlock the door and we start heading upstairs.

“ _Sounds great!_ I can’t wait to have to see what kind of _FLOWERS_ she picks!” he practically shouts.

“Why are you yelling?” I question, rubbing my ringing ear with a frown as I open the door.

  
  


Stopping in my tracks at the sight of Alya, Marinette, Aunt Claire, and Adrien grinning at me, I look over at the cake covered in candles. Was this…

“Happy birthday, Evan!” Everyone cheers, and my response?

Instant tears.

“Y-You,” I hiccup, scrubbing my eyes as they start to panic.

“Oh man, he told me he didn’t like surprises!” Nino states worriedly.

“Who _doesn’t_ like surprises?!” Alya counters, fretting over me with a frown, Marinette quickly doing the same.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” Aunt Claire apologizes, tears welling up in her own eyes. “I thought it’d be okay to invite your friends over for your birthday.”

Letting out a hiccuped laugh, I shake my head. “I’m not...I’m just... _Thank you_ ,” I breathe out, putting my hand down as I look around the room with a grin. “This is the first time anyone’s cared enough to celebrate my birthday.”

The tension immediately leaves the room, Alya and Marinette giving me a brief warning before sweeping me up in a tight hug. Almost crying themselves, they squeeze me tight as Alya orders the boys to join in the group hug as well.

With more tears gathering in my eyes, I can’t help the happy, earnest laugh that bubbles out of me. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like I truly belonged. _Like I was important._ Wriggling an arm free, I sniffle as I wipe my eyes with a large grin.

“I’m glad you guys are my friends,” I say, laughing again when Marinette blabbers about always being my friend. One by one everyone lets me go, and I rub my drying eyes. All it took was one surprise party to change my mind about my own birthday, huh?

Aunt Claire dabs at her eyes with a small laugh. “I’m so relieved you’re not upset, sweetie.”

I shake my head, feeling so giddy I almost didn’t know what to do. “Just.. how did you set this all up? You’ve only met Adrien that one time,” I ask, genuinely curious.

“You’ve mentioned hanging out with them a couple times, and I know Alya’s mom, Marlena, so I called her up and got in contact with everyone through her,” she explains as she threads her fingers together. “I read it’s usually only close friends and family that you celebrate with in Germany, so I thought it’d be nice to do that here too.”

I scratch the side of my head with an embarrassed smile. “You didn’t have to do all this, I would’ve been happy with just a simple _‘happy birthday’_.”

“You say that like you _didn’t_ just bawl your eyes out over being thrown a party,” Alya says, rolling her eyes with a grin.

“Madeleine’s still at her ballet tryout so we’ll have to wait to light the candles, but she shouldn’t be too long,” Aunt Claire says apologetically.

Nino waves his hand as he says, “It’s all fine, Mrs. Mercier. I brought some stuff to keep us entertained.” He pulls out a pack of brightly colored cards. “ _Uno!_ ”

Gathering around the kitchen table, Alya and Marinette sit across from me and Adrien, Nino at the end of the table next to him.

Smiling largely as Nino shuffles the cards, Aunt Claire laughs quietly. “You kids have fun while I go get Madeleine, okay?”

Saying a quick goodbye to her as she leaves, I lean back in the chair with a grin. I was the luckiest guy alive to have such great friends.

“What’s so funny?” Adrien asks quietly, leaning close enough for our shoulders to almost bump.

Was he finally talking to me again? “I’m just happy is all,” I answer, laughing as Alya and Nino already start bickering because of a _skip turn_ card.

“That’s good, you, uh, look nice. Smiling I mean.” He looks panicked, face flushing as he pulls away and tries to hide his embarrassment with his cards.

The tips of my ears warm and I look away. Embarrassed, shy Adrien was cute enough to even make my Chat obsessed heart flutter.

“Hey, birthday boy,” Alya calls out. “It’s your turn.”

Fumbling with my cards, I quickly lay one on the growing pile.

The rest of the round continues, playful banter and laughter filling the room. Marinette ultimately ends up the winner, standing proud while Nino throws down his two dozen cards with a huff.

“Oh, what’s the matter, sweetheart? Being a sore loser?” Alya teases.

Nino looks downright _scandalized_ before he looks at her with a grin. “I may have lost the game, but I’m the winner when it comes to _loveee~_ ” he sings, grabbing her hand with an exaggerated wink.

Alya giggles, shoving him away. “Okay, Romeo, tone it down. Don’t want all the single people to get jealous.”

“Oh, alright.” He sighs dramatically before gathering up the cards and shuffling them for another round.

Then the wall exploded.

Shouting for everyone to get back as debris flies everywhere, my eyes widen as the dust settles.

_Madeleine…?_

Landing in the living room, her eyes remain closed as her arms raise almost mechanically. She was still in her ballet costume, with a dark pink mask painted on her face. Pink ribbons float around her, weaving lazily around her limbs, and that’s when I notice the ball-joints on her knees and elbows.

_Just like a marionette._

“Madeleine…” I call uselessly, though I already know that trying to reason with her was pointless.

Adrien grabs my wrist tightly, shooting me a warning glance.

Madeleine doesn’t even seem to register my voice, twirling around and motioning towards the five of us as the once listless ribbons shoot forward.

Flinching away, they completely ignore me, instead wrapping around the other’s wrists. Dragging them forward as they try to tear themselves free, I grab Adrien’s hand tightly, refusing to let go.

“Get out of here!” he yells, looking at me over his shoulder, my added weight slowing the ribbons down slightly.

I shake my head, digging my heels into the floor. Even if I could only save one of them, I still wasn’t going to give up.

Nearly tripping over one of the stools, I spot a pair of scissors on the counter and quickly grab them. Reaching up before she could realize what I was doing, I cut the ribbons looped around his wrists.

Like cutting a taut string, they fall limp and Adrien crashes into me as we land on the floor.

Madeleine’s expression doesn’t change, showing nothing but serene calmness as she leaps out of the hole in the wall with the others dragging behind her.

Catching my breath, my heart pounds loudly in my ears. What happened that allowed her to get akumatized? Did she already get Aunt Claire?

“Thanks,” Adrien breathes, head leaving my chest as he sits up, in between my legs. “But that was really dangerous.”

Sitting up as well, I’m close enough that I could almost cage him in. “Yeah, but at least you’re safe, right?” I ask, running a hand through my hair as little chunks of debris fall around me.

He frowns, cheeks red while grumbling something under his breath before standing. “Come on, we need to hide before she decides to come back.”

I mentally panic. How was I supposed to help if he was glued to my side? Taking his hand, I pull myself up and take a deep breath. “Alright,” I give in, wracking my brain for any option to slip away as we head for the street.

Just as we exit the alleyway, a dancing, ribbon-controlled person greets us. Hardly paying us mind, he does an elegant twirl before holding a piece of paper out towards me.

“It’s an invitation to see _The Swan Princess_ ,” I state dumbly. The paper was filled with fancy, overzealous script, but Madeleine’s name was clearly written at the bottom as the female lead.

“You’re not seriously thinking of going, right?” Adrien asks, peering incredulously at the piece of paper.

“I…” I pause, furrowing my brows. No doubt Aunt Claire was also there. “My aunt is there, I have to.”

“No.” He pulls the invitation out of my hands with a furious look. “You’re not throwing yourself headfirst into danger yet again. Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat Noir can handle this!”

I sigh frustratedly. _But I_ am _Lapin Blanc!_ “Why do you care anyway? You’ve barely talked to me this past month.”

I immediately want to slap myself. _Why_ did I have to bring that up, now of all times?

The fight quickly leaves his eyes, embarrassment warming his cheeks. “That’s...that’s not true.”

“But it is! I don’t know what I did that...that made you uncomfortable hanging around me,” I fight the urge to curl into myself and back down, “but, I, uh, it doesn’t matter...”

Adrien looks at the ground, ruffling his hair with a groan. “Evan, I don’t--I mean...I’m not avoiding you because you make me uncomfortable, I swear! It’s just that I…” he trails off, taking a deep breath as he refuses to meet my gaze. “I realized that I--”

“You kids better get inside, it isn’t safe being out right now!” a police officer, Sabrina’s father, shouts from down the street. Jogging over to us, his eyes widen at the sight of the still dancing man next to us. “Stay back, kids!”

Waving his baton at the zoned out marionette, Adrien focus slips from me and I take my chance. Running down the street, I ignore his shouts and quickly duck around the corner. Not wasting any time, I hastily transform before leaping up to the roof just as he rounds the corner.

Narrowly avoiding him, I breathe a sigh of relief, though I do feel a little guilty for ditching him like that. But there were more important things to do right now.

The invitation said the ballet was going to be at _theatre du chatelet_ , which was the theater house just down the street.

Heading for the large building, I survey the destruction littering the sidewalk around it. While Madeleine was almost distant in her expressions and fragile in her soft ballet moves, the power in her wanton vandalism was alarming.

Entering the theater through one of the many broken windows, the soft music coming from the auditorium lets me know where she most likely was.

“Looks like great minds think alike,” Chat quips, appearing in the window with a smirk.

I chuckle as he jumps down next to me. “I’m pretty sure she’s performing center stage right now, just beyond those doors.”

“Sounds about right,” he agrees with a nod before his cat ears twitch nervously. “Hey, you haven’t happened to see a brown haired guy around here, have you? He has an undercut like yours, he’s about your height too, and--”

“Nope! Haven’t seen him,” I cut him off quickly, because at this rate he was going to find enough similarities that there’s no way he _wouldn’t_ figure out my real identity.

He crosses his arms with a frown. “I hope he didn’t get captured or anything…”

My heart squeezes painfully and I have to physically look away as my face warms. Him being concerned for my well being really made me want to kiss him. _Again._

Clearing my throat, I push away those thoughts and look back at him. “Should we go even though Ladybug isn’t here?”

“She’ll show up just in the nick of time like she always does.”

Sneaking inside the auditorium, the sound of the music increases and I quietly look over the ledge. High up in the balcony seats, we have a perfect view of the sheer amount of people she had dancing on the stage. I could spot Marinette and Alya dancing, the ribbons controlling them like marionettes, and lower, in the front row seats, was Aunt Claire.

“Cutting the ribbons renders them useless,” Chat whispers. “I’ve seen it happen.”

I hum in agreement as I lean over the ledge. “I can try and keep Dancer distracted while you cut the ribbons,” I offer, before jumping down when Chat agrees with a nod.

Kneading at my shoulder while I head for the stage, I watch Chat sneak towards the rafters above before taking a deep breath. “Hey, hey! I’m a little hurt,” I yell, some of the controlled dancers shouting in relief at my appearance. “A whole party and I wasn’t invited? Rude…”

Like earlier, Dancer--because I _had_ to make a distinction from my cousin--ignores me completely. She was much more focused on completing her dance routine, the only sign she heard me being the ribbons floating around her becoming agitated.

Then, without a twitch to betray her intentions, they fly towards me.

Narrowly avoiding them, I leap up to the lowest balcony and quickly activate my Miraculous as they chase after me. I wanted to err on the side of caution just because they were _that_ fast.

Spotting Chat freeing some of the dancers in the back, I slide to across the ground and double back as the ribbons fly overhead. I wasn’t too sure if she controlled each ribbon, but she, her physical body at least, didn’t seem to do more than dance. So, hopefully, she wouldn’t be too hard to deal with.

Leaping up to the highest balcony, I run along the railing before quickly stepping off and swinging into the isle below. Glancing back at the stage, I’m relieved to see Marinette already gone, though Chat was making quick work in shredding Alya’s ribbons.

Realizing our distraction tactics, the ribbons chasing after me suddenly veer off course, heading straight for Chat.

Almost slipping as I chase after them, a brick flies in from the side, slamming into them and tearing them off course.

“Sorry for being late,” Ladybug says, standing in the side entrance as she wipes her brow.

“You’re just in time, milady!” shouts Chat as he shreds another ribbon, freeing the person connected to it.

Quickly summoning her Lucky Charm, a bottle of vegetable oil falls into her hands.

Letting her figure that out on her own, I focus on the twisting ribbons once again as they rise from the ground. Hopping foot-to-foot, I narrow my eyes as they seem to hesitate, unsure of who exactly to go for.

Ultimately deciding on zipping towards Chat, who was still busy freeing everyone, I shout a warning as he quickly darts backstage.

Debating following after him, Ladybug grabs my attention.

“I need you to spread this all over the stage,” she hands me the vegetable oil, “I think her movements control the ribbons, so if we get her on the ground they won’t be a threat.”

Nodding, I muster up the last of my adrenaline and charge forward. Weaving through the last of the still controlled dancers as I uncap the bottle, I duck under Dancer as she leaps and twirls in the air. Dumping the oil as I slide under her, I quickly hop back up just as she slips on the oily floor and crashes to the ground soundlessly.

Loud clattering echoes from backstage as I hold her down by the shoulders, Chat appearing a few seconds later, covered in dust and cobwebs, muttering a _“don’t ask about it”_ before I could even say anything.

“The akuma’s in her shoes,” Ladybug states, holding the struggling akumatized girl by her legs. “Would you be so kind, Chat?”

He grins. “It would be my pleasure.” Activating his Cataclysm, he destroys the white ballet shoes and Ladybug quickly stands, getting ready to purify it.

Letting Madeleine-- _now_ she was Madeleine--go, I step off the stage and finally untie Aunt Claire.

Thanking me quickly, she rushes to my cousin as ladybugs sweep through the auditorium. Taking the moment to slip away, I change back and ruffle my hair to give myself a frazzled look before rushing back inside.

“Aunt Claire! Madeleine!” I shout, rushing towards them, allowing the worry I forced down earlier to come spilling out. Kneeling next to my aunt, I help her sit Madeleine up as she blinks in confusion.

“Mom? Evan? Wh-What happened?”

Aunt Claire laughs lightly, wiping her eyes. “Oh, honey...you know you don’t have to be the best at something for me to be proud. I love you no matter what.”

Madeleine processes her words for a moment before tears quickly gather in her eyes and she throws herself into her mother’s arms. “I-I’m sorry! I just wanted to be the princess a-and show you and Evan how good I was at ballet! I didn’t...I didn’t…” Crying harder, she sniffles loudly as Aunt Claire rubs her back soothingly.

_So that’s what happened. She didn’t get the lead role._

“I--” I clear my throat, unsure on how to help calm her down--“I think you’re pretty amazing from what I’ve seen at home. I could never do an a-assam...assem…”

“ _Assemble_ ,” she corrects with a giggle.

I flush in embarrassment. “Uh, yeah, that, I could never do that. So you’ve already impressed me.”

She giggles again, sitting back and wiping her face. “You’re just easy to please, Evan.”

“Exactly.” Aunt Claire smiles and kisses her forehead. “So you shouldn’t worry so much about impressing us. We already think you’re amazing.”

The tears have stopped by now, leaving her red-eyed but happy.

“Are you ready to go back home and throw Evan the greatest birthday party ever?” Aunt Claire asks, laughing as the girl leaps up with wide eyes.

“That’s right!” Madeleine gasps. “You still need to open my present! And eat the cake! And...and! There’s so much we still need to do! Let’s go!” Grabbing my hand alongside Aunt Claire’s, she drags us down the stage, Alya, Nino, Marinette, and Adrien following close behind.

Quickly reaching the flower shop, she rushes everyone upstairs before disappearing up to her room.

“You guys are okay, right?” I ask the group, finally able to get a word in now that Madeleine wasn’t demanding my attention.

“Pft, yeah!” Alya waves away my concern. “If anything I feel way more flexible than before.”

“Speak for yourself, man,” Nino groans as he cracks his back. “I felt like I was an overcooked pretzel.”

Aunt Claire laughs lightly as she lights the candles on the cake, Madeleine almost crashing down the stairs with a wrapped box in her hands. Sitting in with the rest of the gifts on the coffee table (which I admittedly missed the first time) she bounds over to us with a grin.

The lights go off and I look around at the smiling faces of my friends and family. This was nice.

Then they start singing.

Face warming at all the undivided attention, I sink down into the barstool with a nervous smile. _This was admittedly less so._

Finishing singing, Alya snaps a photo while Nino and Madeleine cheer for me to make a wish.

_A wish, huh…_

Chat’s face, like usual, pops in my head and I almost shake it away before stopping. Would it really be all that bad to wish something like that? It was embarrassing, but it wasn’t like anyone else had to know.

Leaning forward, I take a deep breath before blowing out the candles.

_Please let Chat wish me a happy birthday!_

Sitting up with a satisfied smile as the lights turn back on, I grin at everyone as Aunt Claire cuts the cake.

Getting the first piece, I thank her before sitting at the table, the others crowding around it as well as they dig into the dessert.

Chattering amongst ourselves energetically, I, at one point, almost choke on a piece of cake at some stupid joke Nino makes. Alya does too, but Nino’s over dramatic reaction only has me choking on yet another laugh.

“So…” Alya starts after everyone is almost done with their food. “What _did_ you wish for?”

I shake my head with a grin. “Not telling.”

“Bet it has something to do with a certain _someone_ ,” Alya teases, throwing her head back with a laugh when I pointedly don’t acknowledge her.

“Be nice, Alya,” Marinette scolds before smiling at me. “I hope your wish comes true, Evan.”

Thanking her with a smile, we head over to the couches to open presents.

“ _Mine first!_ ” Alya sings, shoving a rectangular gift in my hands.

Once again feeling a little awkward at the attention, I do my best to ignore it as I peel off the wrapping paper, my eyes widening when I see just what it was.

_Alya please,_ please _tell me this isn’t what I think it is._

“It's a Chat Noir action figure,” she says with a knowing grin, and while I want to throw it out the window, I know I’ll have it sitting somewhere in my room by the end of the day.

Another present is shoved in my arms before I can speak. “My turn, dude! Hurry and open!”

Looking over the wrapped tube, I eye him cautiously for a moment before ripping off the paper. Realizing it was a poster, I carefully unroll it and once again fight the initial urge to toss it out.

_Was I really that obvious about my feelings?_

“I know you’re a huge Chat Noir fan, so I thought it’d be totally awesome to get you a poster,” he explains with a grin, and I can’t bring myself to be mad. “I wanted to try and get it signed or something, but that’s w- _ayyy_ harder to do.”

Now I really couldn’t be upset. He was just trying his best to get me a gift. “Thanks, Nino,” I say with a smile. This, too, would probably ultimately end up in my room.

“Okay! Me next, please!” Madeleine chimes in, finally running out of patience and shoving her messily wrapped gift at me.

Setting the rolled up poster on the coffee table, I open her gift and can’t help but wonder what it could be.

Pulling out a black hoodie, my smile twitches when I notice the large, bright green paw print on the front. Not that I didn’t dislike it, quite the opposite, but _why_ was everyone collectively grouping up to bully me right now?

“Do you like it?” she asks, bouncing in place excitedly.

I smile at her. “Yes, thank you.”

“Well put it on!”

I sigh quietly to myself. I really couldn’t say no.

Unrolling the sleeves of my shirt and placing my camera case on the table, I ignore Ayla cackling in the background as I pull it on. The green ends of the sleeves hang over my hands a bit, and it was a little baggy, but it seemed to fit just fine.

Madeleine giggles, ecstatic at me wearing her gift, and I had to admit it was comfortable.

Even if Alya would undoubtedly tease me about wearing it later.

“Oh, wow,” Marinette laughs. “I didn’t know this would end up being a Chat Noir themed birthday, but, um, here’s mine.”

Taking the gift bag from her with a thankful smile, I pull out the present and have to look away to hide my shame.

_You too, Marinette…?_

“I-I honestly didn’t know everyone would get you Chat Noir merch!” she says panickedly, flapping her arms. “I just, um, recently found out how much you... _liked_ \--” I didn’t like the way she said that--“Chat Noir and wanted to show you my support!”

Looking over the handmade plush, I can’t help but admit that it _was_ cute. Button eyes and all. But, seriously, what did I do that was so wrong I had to suffer the embarrassment of getting nothing but Chat Noir gifts?

Adrien, face flushed as he glances down at my new hoodie, hands me his gift with a nervous laugh. “It isn’t anything Chat Noir themed, I’m afraid.”

I chuckle lightly. Not that I didn’t secretly like all the Chat Noir gifts, I was just going to end up seeming like a creepy fan if I ended up with even too many things of him.

Opening the present, my eyes widen when I pull out a Hex Ranger black DSLR sling bag. It was a pretty expensive camera bag that I saw in a magazine a few weeks ago.

“Adrien, this thing is almost a hundred dollars!” I state, mouth agape as I look at him.

He scratches the back of his head with a blush. “You said something a while ago about not being able to take some of your other camera lenses with you and I saw it online so…” he shrugs with a guilty smile, “sorry it’s kinda cheap.”

I’m stunned into silence. Cheap? _This?_ “Is it really alright to have this?” I question as I look back down at the sling bag. “I don’t think _I’ve_ even spent a hundred dollars on myself before.”

He blinks before grinning. “Even more reason for you to have it then. I promise I’ll get you something better next time.”

I can’t summon any response to that. Even more expensive?

“Woo! Looks like someone’s got themselves a sugar daddy!” Alya teases, elbowing Nino with a laugh.

“What’s that?” questions Madeleine innocently.

“Nothing you should worry about, Maddie,” I answer quickly, giving Alya a scathing look as my face burns.

Adrien furrows his brows, mumbling questionably to himself before his whole face reddens fifty times worse than mine. “I-It’s nothing like that! I just wanted to get you a present you could use a lot…”

I shake my head, smiling to ease his nerves. “It’s fine, Adrien. Alya can’t help but tease.”

“So you’ll accept it?”

Unable to deny his pleading look, I give in with a nod. If giving me such an expensive gift made him _that_ happy…

Smiling contently to himself as Aunt Claire comes down from upstairs, she hands me a palm-sized present.

“This is something I think you’ve needed for a long time.”

Looking down at the gift, I tilt my head thoughtfully before ripping off the paper. It was...a cellphone?

Aunt Claire laughs at my confusion. “Don’t look like that, Evan. With the amount of villain attacks lately it’s almost ridiculous _not_ to have one.”

“And we can finally get in contact with you outside of school!” Marinette states with a large smile.

Alya adds, “it was getting really annoying not being able to invite you to hang outs too.”

Taking the new phone out of the box, I hold it nervously, afraid of breaking it. It was a smartphone like everyone else’s with a black case.

“I...thank you, Aunt Claire,” I say with a small smile, marveling at the phone--my phone--in awe.

“Alright, scooch it, mister,” Alya orders, sitting between me and Marinette with a grin. “I’ll teach you _all_ about being a phone owner and the awesome things you can do.”

\------

“Do you understand it all?”

I nod my head in a daze as I lead everyone downstairs so they can leave.

They laugh at my muted response and Alya nudges my side when we reach the back door. “Don’t worry, Evan, we’ll teach you over and over until you have no choice but to understand!”

“That doesn’t sound too reassuring…” I mumble, trailing to a stop when we step out of the alleyway and onto the street.

Nino throws his arm around her. “Don’t worry, dude, I won’t let her go all _witchy-witch_ on you.”

“Hey!” she objects loudly. “Keep that up and this _witchy-witch_ won’t let you walk her home.”

Starting to bicker once again, they pause to give me friendly goodbyes before heading down the street, hand-in-hand.

“They’re so cute,” Marinette giggles, looking up at me before glancing at Adrien dreamily. “It’d be nice to be able to do that with someone…”

Elbowing her before Adrien could notice her lingering gaze, she blushes brightly and clears her throat.

“I had a great time, Evan!” she practically shouts, eyes darting to the oblivious blonde. “I, uh, better go before my parents start wondering where I am! Bye, guys!”

Rushing down the street like she was on fire, my chuckle dies when I turn towards Adrien. Now just the two of us, the air quickly turns awkward.

“I--”

“I’m--”

We both look away, and he coughs into his fist. “Uh, you can go first…”

“RIght…” I take a calming breath as I tug at my gloves. “I just wanted to apologize for running off earlier and...um, raising my voice at you. You were just worried and I shouldn’t have said anything…”

“I don’t blame you for running off,” he sighs as he rubs the back of his neck. “And you weren’t wrong about me avoiding you either. I was struggling with some things and wasn’t sure how to deal with it.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” I offer lightly.

He opens his mouth to speak before furrowing his brows as his gaze falls to the bright green paw print on my hoodie. “It’s alright for now,” he says with a shake of his head. “Just don’t plan on going to bed too early, alright? Your birthday isn’t quite over yet.”

Leaving his odd statement up in the air, his grin seems a little more lively as he once again wishes me a happy birthday before crossing the street with a wave.

Chewing the inside of my cheek as I watch him disappear around the corner, I head back into the alley with a frown. I had no idea what he meant. Noticing a dozing Madeleine on the couch when I step into the kitchen, I laugh quietly as Aunt Claire gently wakes her.

Bidding them a soft _goodnight_ and _thank you for everything_ , I gather up my presents and head to my room.

Placing everything on my desk, Blann finally flies out of my camera case and coos over the different items.

“All of this is so cute!” he squeals with an excited giggle.

I pull off my gloves with a grin. “I’ll admit, all this Chat Noir stuff is pretty nice. Especially the plush.”

“It’s not going to take my place cuddling with you is it?”

I poke his forehead with a smirk. “Of course not...well, probably.”

Laughing at his indignant shout, someone knocking on my balcony door has me whipping around in surprise.

There, to my surprise, stood the last person I thought I’d see.

“ _Chat_ …”

Quickly letting him in, I take a step back while staring at him curiously.

“Hey,” he greets, a slight nervous tremor in his otherwise casual tone.

“...hey,” I return hesitantly, unsure why he was here, _in my room._

He rubs the back of his neck with a nervous grin. “I heard from a reliable source that it was your birthday, so I thought I’d pay my biggest fan a visit.” His eyes trail down to the hoodie. “Nice hoodie by the way, very much Chat Noir approved.”

I fight down an embarrassed blush. “My cousin got it for me.”

“Well she has great taste.”

A grin tugs at my lips despite myself. “She was particularly proud of it.”

“And how about you? Are you proud of it?” he questions, eyes glinting as he steps forward, crowding me back. “Of being my number one fan?”

My heart thunders in my chest. He _had_ to know how I felt about him by now. I went as far as _kissing_ him! And he had the nerve to tease me about it?

A swirl of frustration twists in my gut. I was always being led around by him, wasn’t I? It seemed no matter what I was always wrapped around his finger like a frayed piece of string.

Narrowing my eyes, I look up at him with a firm expression. I’d just be honest. Not like it it would really make a difference at this point.

“I am,” I state, happy that my blush was fading away.

He freezes. “W-What?” he questions with a laugh, obviously not expecting such intensity.

The couple inches I had on him now felt like feet as I take a step forward, crowding _him_ for a change. “I’m proud to be your fan,” I state, staring deeply into his wide, green eyes. “I’m proud that I understand just how amazing you really are. I’m proud that, no matter what, I can count on you saving the day. I’m…” I almost bite my tongue but refuse to back down. “I’m _proud of you, Chat_.”

Unable to temper down my embarrassment anymore, I dart my eyes away and lean back as my face burns. “Uh, so yeah, y-you know...a real big fan…” _Alya would be furious at my backtracking right now._

Before I could turn away I’m roughly pulled forward by the collar of my hoodie and Chat crashes his lips against mine.

It wasn’t soft, nor was it smooth. But as Chat’s chapped lips press harder against mine I can’t bring myself to care.

Unsure of where to put my hands, they end up cupping his burning cheeks. Enjoying the feeling of his smooth skin underneath my fingertips, I get lost in the moment as we both shift closer.

Kissing Chat felt nice. It wasn’t overwhelming like fireworks, but rather like the sun shining bright in the sky, warming you to your core. Like breathing in a warm summer day after a long, cold winter.

Pulling away with a small gasp, I open my eyes (when did they close?) and catch my breath.

Chat does the same, his chest heaves as he stares at me. “I planned being a little more smooth about everything, but…” he starts softly, fingers slipping up to brush against my hand cupping his cheek as he smiles shyly. “ _Happy birthday, Evan_.”

Leaving with a quick, embarrassed smile, he slips away in the nights and I can only stare after him in disbelief.

_What just happened?_

A tiny body slams into my cheek with loud giggles. “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” Blann squeals as he kicks his feet excitedly.

I try to speak but nothing comes out. This wasn’t a dream right? Chat Noir, who’ve I’ve been in love with for who knows how long, kissed me, Evan Mercier?

“Blann, please pinch me,” I mumble, refusing to get my hopes up just yet. But then I can’t help it, because his pinch _does_ hurt and that means this _wasn’t_ a dream and Chat _kissed me_.

_He kissed me._

I take a deep breath and laugh giddily.

“ _CHAT NOIR KISSED ME!_ ”

...

...

...

...

At the Agreste mansion, a blushing, embarrassed blonde buries his head in his pillow. While he planned on maybe kissing him, just to be _super_ sure he really liked him, Adrien didn't account for how knee-shakingly _good_ it would feel.

And it was at this moment, amidst Plagg's teasing, that he realized just how truly, and disgustingly, in love he was with Evan Mercier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruh, here it is. Feelings are finally mutual (though no confessions yet) and a second, real kiss. Adrien, compared to Evan, fell in love fast and hard instead of slowly but surely. Also, boy finally got a phone! Which he needed badly. There's also no way you can convince me Adrien has a real understanding of the value of money, so expensive camera bags are no big deal. (I'd like to think he spent way too much time panicking about what to get Evan so he just ended up impulse buying it)
> 
> And finally this chapters art --> [The new fit and party](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/631266385205608448/two-pictures-today-the-party-which-is-like-my)


	11. Gigantitan

“Control yourself, Mr. Mercier.”

Snapping out of my warm, fuzzy thoughts, my face warms as I quickly finish setting up the light. “Sorry, Mr. Lacroix.”

The older man just sighs. “Would you prefer to go back home for today? Because I don’t need my assistant frolicking around with his head in the clouds,” he says sharply with narrowed eyes.

I hastily shake my head as I say, “I won’t get distracted anymore, sir! I promise.”

“I hope not,” is his simple reply as he goes back to switching out his camera lens.

“Did something nice happen, Evan?” Mrs. Engel, in charge of makeup and hair, asks with a smile as she sets up her small makeup stand.

I can’t help but to laugh nervously and look down. “It, uh, was my birthday yesterday and I got a _really_ nice gift.” As Blann likes to put it, with a teasing grin and all.

“Oh, well, happy late birthday,” she says, smiling widely. “How old does that make you?”

“Fifteen.”

“Already on your way to becoming a man, huh? I was just beginning to date at that age myself.”

“As thrilling as your conversation seems to be,” Mr. Lacroix interrupts, “Young Mr. Agreste will parking any moment and I’d like Mr. Mercier to bring him here.”

Straightening up with a nod, I quickly head towards the street. Hopefully the awkward atmosphere was all but forgotten about. Spotting the familiar black car, and bodyguard, the back door opens and Adrien steps out with a blinding smile.

“Hey, Evan!” he greets as an embarrassed flush works its way up his face. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here for the photoshoot.”

My shoulders relax as I smile. This was the happiest he’s been to see me in a while. “Yeah, Mr. Lacroix invited me to shadow him for some more outside shoots.”

“Well I’m glad you’re here.” He smiles shyly before noticing what I was wearing. “You’re wearing the Chat Noir hoodie?”

“And the camera bag you got me,” I add as we head towards the Trocadero fountains. “But the hoodie has a, um, a nice memory attached to it…” I trail off, an embarrassed laugh bubbling up my throat as my face burns.

For some reason he gets equally embarrassed, face shifting to a bright red as he looks away with a cough. “O-Oh? What happened?” he asks, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

I want to scream from the top of my lungs about Chat kissing me, gush over every moment until I’m out of breath, but I settle on grinning instead. “Just something I never want to forget.”

Adrien seems to choke, stumbling forward before catching himself last minute.

“Are you okay?”

He clears his throat, his whole face pitching in color as he nods. “I just stepped on a rock, don’t worry.”

Reaching Mr. Lacroix, Mrs. Engel quickly drags the blonde to the makeshift makeup station. Staying behind with the older male, he casts an almost unnoticeable glance between the two of us.

“I won’t say anything to his father, but you two should be less obvious about your romantic endeavors.”

Calling for Adrien before I could question his odd statement, I sit on the bench across from them with furrowed brows. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant about _‘romantic endeavors’_ but I had a feeling he misinterpreted something big.

A few pictures in, he snaps me out of my daydreaming (about Chat, as usual), ordering me to get one of the lollipops from the stall just down the path.

Quickly paying for one, I hand it to him and he hands it off to Adrien before starting to take more pictures.

“Mr. Agreste,” he starts, voice tinged with annoyance as he pulls the camera from his face. “I appreciate that you find my apprentice so beguiling that you can’t look away, but we’re in the middle of a photoshoot. Try and remain professional.”

I nearly choke on my spit as Adrien turns a bright red, eyes darting away and towards the ground.

“Mr. Mercier,” Mr. Lacroix calls with a sigh, and I quickly stand to attention.

“Yes, sir?”

“Go take a walk around and see if you can find anything photo worthy. Maybe then Mr. Agreste will have a little more focus.”

Nodding, I catch Adrien’s eye before he panickedly looks away as I leave.

Heading to the other side of the fountain, I go to take off my sling bag before noticing a woman struggling with a stroller on the stairs. Biting back my nervousness, I step over to her and shyly offer her my help.

“If you would be so kind!”

Lifting the front of the stroller, I awkwardly break eye contact with the baby as it drools all over itself. I didn’t mind older kids, like Madeleine for example, but babies were just a little too messy and a little too fragile.

Reaching the first part of the stairs, the woman thanks me with a small bow before trying to calm her now screaming infant.

Awkwardly shuffling in place as it screams something about a lollipop, we start the ascent up the final set of stairs when it finally calms down. Halfway up, the woman gasps worriedly as her phone falls out of her pocket. Before we could come to a stop, a familiar dark-haired girl scoops it up with a smile.

“Hello, ma’am! Hello, Evan and little baby!” Marinette greets chiperly.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I set the stroller down and manage to catch the baby's bottle before it can hit the ground. “What are you doing here?” I ask her, handing off the bottle to the baby’s mother.

“Oh, um, I just--please don’t tell Adrien!” she pleads, eyes threatening to tear up.

I almost start to panic as I quickly agree.

“Thank you so much!” she clasps my gloved hand in hers before rushing away with a hurried goodbye.

Flinching as the baby starts to cry once again, I dip my head as the mother thanks me once again. Doing my best to tune out the loud wails as they leave, I go to take out my camera before Adrien comes running up the stairs with a wave.

“Hey!” he greets, a little winded but still grinning. “I was just about to call if I couldn’t find you.”

“Is Mr. Lacroix done already?” I ask with furrowed brows. He never ended a shoot so early.

Adrien flushes, quickly averting his eyes. “He said that I, uh, was too distracted and we’d reshoot later,” he says with a nervous chuckle.

“I should probably help them pack up then…”

“Wait!” his hand shoots out to grab mine, “I thought maybe I could drop you off, since we live so close together.”

“Are you sure?” I ask with a small frown as he smiles charmingly.

“Of course!”

Before I could answer, I notice a black, fluttering butterfly up ahead. _Another akuma already?_ Also noticing a particularly frustrated bodyguard headed towards us, I watch with baited breath at the inevitable akumatization, though it grazes past him harmlessly and I sigh in relief. Until it disappears into the stroller up ahead.

Adrien’s bodyguard quickly plants himself in front of us as a giant, almost four or five story screaming toddler grows out of the stroller.

Ripping one of the statues up from the ground, he sticks it in his mouth before throwing it down right in front of us with a look of disgust. Screaming about a lollipop, he sets his sights on the bodyguard and sticks him in his mouth before also throwing him away.

Almost gagging at the sight of all the drool that comes pouring out of his mouth, Adrien, who’s hand was still gripping mine, pulls me into hiding.

“You should find Mr. Lacroix down by the fountains.”

“What about you?” I question, wanting to make sure he would be safe before I just up and left.

“I’m gonna go find my bodyguard,” he states, finally releasing my hand and encouraging me to go.

Stopping just before I sneak away, I turn back to him. “Be safe.”

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” he huffs with a small grin. “But you better be careful too, okay?”

Grinning at him before heading down the stairs, I quicken my pace when I disappear out of view. Ducking against the wall, I glance around for any passersby as Blann flies out of my camera bag.

“Looks like you get to see Chat real soon,” the small rabbit kwami teases with a giggle.

Rolling my eyes as the tips of my ears burn, I bring my bracelet up and quickly say, “Blann, ears up!”

Leaping up on the railing above me, I spot Chat getting the attention of the giant baby. “You can’t catch me!” he yells, catapulting off the baby and landing on the ground.

Swallowing down my embarrassment, I leap over to meet him with a grin. “But I can!”

“Woo, looks like another person came to join our little game of tag!” he cheers with a smirk, the two of us taking off with the baby following after us. “Let’s get our feet nice and wet. But we can’t squish anyone, okay?” he shouts up at the baby.

Leading him towards the river, I manage to avoid grabby hands, though Chat isn’t so lucky. Skidding to a stop, I shudder in repulsion at the inevitable slobber bath poor Chat would be getting. Just the thought alone makes me retch.

“Well, hey there, kitty-cat, bunny-rabbit!” Ladybug’s voice rings out not too far from us. “I see you two aren’t really naturals with kids, are you?”

“Are you kidding? We were just playing a fun game of tag!” Chat states, slipping out of the giant babies hands.

“If you count almost being drooled on as _fun_ ,” I group up with Ladybug and shudder, “then we were having a load of it.”

“First slime, and now a little drool?” Chat questions with a shake of his head. “However shall we protect the fragile princess, milady?”

I snort as I shove his shoulder. “If anyones the princess here, it’s you. _Though I’d call you more of a damsel-in-distress myself_.”

“Alright, you two,” Ladybug interrupts with a sigh. “You two can play later, right now we have a bit of a big problem on our hands. But luckily I think the akuma’s in his bracelet.” Throwing and wrapping her yoyo around his wrists, she’s quickly flung up in the air with a loud yelp.

Jumping up on the roof where she lands, Chat leans against my shoulder with a smirk.

“Woah, would you look at that. You’re not much of a natural with kids either, is she Lapin?”

Turning his 1000-watt grin my way, I’m almost blinded and nod as my face burns.

“Haha!” Ladybug crosses her arms with a roll of her eyes. “For your information, I’ve never babysat anything heavier than ten tons.”

Chat and I quickly pull her away from the edge before the giant hand can grab her.

“Are we even allowed to fight a baby?” I question, taking a step back as the hand reaches for us.

“Hopefully we won’t have to,” Ladybug says, rushing forward to try and break the bracelet on his wrist, only to get flung off and sent flying once again.

Giving each other looks, we follow after her as she sails through the air.

“Change of plans,” she starts, landing as if nothing happened, “To calm a baby down just put him in a playpen.”

“And exactly where are we gonna find a playpen his size?” questions Chat disbelievingly.

She motions out towards the Eiffel Tower. “The Eiffel Tower! We’ll pin him up in there with my yoyo. Then sing him some lullabies--you guys know some, right? We can read him a bedtime story, make cooing noises…”

I stare at her in bewilderment as she mimics a pigeon.

“Then, when he’s getting sleepy, _bam!_ Chat will use his Cataclysm to destroy his bracelet!”

Chat crosses his arms. “Interesting idea, milady--” _interesting was putting it mildly_ \--“but how are we going to get him there? Isn’t there a simpler plan?”

“Like your Lucky Charm?” I cut in, leaning forward to look at her around Chat. “Because we’ve never _not_ used it before.”

“If this is too complicated, just do what I do!” she taunts with a smirk, leaping away as the baby reaches down for us.

Chasing after her, we move a little ways away and make noise to catch the babies attention.

As he waddles towards us, Chat remarks, “Once we get him in his playpen, I’ll sing him a lullaby.”

I had to close my eyes and look away because I really was a little too excited at the prospect of Chat singing.

“We don’t want to burst his eardrums.”

I don’t have to look at Chat to know he was grinning. “What? I have a great voice, you know!”

“Are you who I keep hearing yowling in the middle of the night then?” I tease, laughing when he sticks his tongue out at me.

The baby suddenly stops, turning his attention to the lollipop stall pulled along the side.

“We’re losing him!” Ladybug shouts panickedly.

Chat rushes away as the giant baby accidentally crushes the truck, the loud wailing that follows almost making me cringe.

A car honking drawls his attention, a certain cat hero leaning out the drivers side window with a grin before honking again. Climbing out of the car before the baby reaches the vehicle, Chat heads back over to me and Ladybug.

“I loved playing with cars when I was a kid, too,” he says.

“Look! He’s going to his playpen all by himself!” Ladybug observes. “Good job, kitty!”

No matter what jealousy always burned, no matter how faint, at her calling him that. And him kissing me last night certainly didn’t help the situation.

Not wanting to glance back and get my feelings hurt at the sight of an embarrassed Chat, I quickly follow Ladybug as we trail after the giant baby.

“Think you can loop this around real quick?” Ladybug asks, handing me her yoyo.

I take it with a smirk. “Not a problem.”

Activating my miraculous, I quickly loop around the tower a few times before landing back beside her and Chat.

“Very nice,” he says, Ladybug taking one end of the yoyo as he nods.

Holding the string taut, the added tension from the baby pushing on it begins to quickly cut into the tower's legs.

“Hurry Chat Noir! Use your Cataclysm on his bracelet!” Ladybug orders.

Activating his miraculous and jumping up on the baby’s hand, I don’t let my guard down just yet. Digging my heels in the ground for more leverage, I cringe when he goes sailing through the air.

The legs of the Eiffel Tower are finally sliced through, the Tower falling back, and I give Ladybug a look as the dust plums around us. “Time for your Lucky Charm yet?”

She just rolls her eyes.

The baby passes us right by and she throws her yoyo round his wrist in an attempt to stop him. _And_ _It doesn’t._ But she doesn’t let go, grabbing my arm instead as we get dragged down the road.

Grabbing a hold of a passing lamp post, she nearly chokes me when she changes her grip to my neck.

Breathing out for her to _please grab somewhere else_ , the baby plucks us up, lamp post and all, and I can only stare up at the gaping, toothless maw before me.

“ _I’m gonna throw up…_ ”

“Don’t you dare!” Ladybug demands loudly before trying to speak to the giant baby holding us. “H-Hey, silly baby! This isn’t a delicious lollipop!”

Completely ignoring her, he raises us up to his mouth and the hot breath that hits me makes my stomach churns unpleasantly.

_I seriously was going to throw up if even a drop of spit touched me._

Luckily, to my great relief, we’re saved by Alya and the other girls from class riding up on a rickshaw.

“Hold on tight, Ladybug, Lapin Blanc!” Rose calls out as Alya pedals towards us.

Thanking them alongside Ladybug with a relieved sigh, we’re tossed down as the baby chases after them with a yell.

Landing next to Ladybug, I check myself for any drool with a shudder. Thankfully there’s none, but the bleeping of my bracelet brings up a new concern.

“I don’t have much time,” I state, showing the glowing bunny head and it’s fading ear.

Chat lands next to us with a frown. “Neither do I! We have to be quick!”

“Okay,” she sighs before smiling guiltily. “Looks like you’re right, Lapin, enough complicated plans. Sometimes it’s best to get to the point.”

Summoning her Lucky Charm, gift wrap, Chat quips something about “ _wrapping this up_ ” and I chuckle at her deadpan expression. Looking around, she grins to herself before looking at the two of us.

“I need you two to wrap me up on top of the lamp post so I look like a lollipop,” she explains. “I’ll be able to reach his bracelet with his hands full then.”

“Aye, aye, captain!” I salute her before wrapping her up when she positions herself on the lamp.

Just as I finish my bracelet bleeps again warningly and I give Chat an apologetic smile. “I’ve gotta go, think you can handle it?”

He leans against the lamp, flipping his hair back as he says, “Of course. This cat always lands on his feet.”

I snort, rolling my eyes while my heart flutters. He was too charming. Quickly bounding away before I really tested the time left on my miraculous, I change back just as I slip behind a column of one of the buildings.

Catching an exhausted Blann, I kiss his head with a soft smile before slipping him into my camera bag. Glancing around the rounded edge, I spot Alya and the other girls gathered by the road.

Heading over to check on them, the giant baby finally disappears as ladybugs swarm the area. “Is everyone okay? You guys took quite the tumble,” I ask, looking over each of them worriedly.

“We’re fine,” Alya says, patting the dirt off her jeans. “How about you? You didn’t get hurt, right?”

I shake my head. “I’m okay. But it was pretty brave of you guys to help Ladybug and Lapin Blanc.”

“We just wanted to help,” Rose says with a smile.

“Does this mean I get to scold you then, Alya?” I ask, unable to keep the grin off my face.

“This--” she motions around her--“was a one time thing. You, on the other hand, have a penchant for throwing yourself at danger. So, no, you don’t get to.” She turns away with a huff.

I put my hand up defensively with a small chuckle. “Okay, okay. No scolding.” I glance at the others. “Though I’m guessing you guys being here has something to do with why Marinette called me earlier, right?” When no one answers I drop my hands with a sigh. “This is about Adrien, isn’t it?”

Alya shrugs. “She wanted to go on a date with him and we were just helping.”

“She couldn’t just ask him?”

“Could you?” she counters, eyebrows raised challengingly.

I cringe, face warming. She wasn’t wrong…

My phone ringing saves me from any more embarrassment and I excuse myself before stepping away. Seeing it was Mr. Lacroix, I take a deep breath before answering.

Quickly asking if I was alright, I nod before remembering he couldn’t see me. “I’m fine, sir. I managed to get away before anything happened.”

“Good.” He almost sounded... _relieved?_

“And you?” I ask, briefly waving to Marinette as she joins the group of girls a few feet away. “Are you and Mrs. Engel alright?”

“We’re unharmed, though Mrs. Engel is quite shaken.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “Do you need me to meet you?”

“No need, we’re just heading back to the studio.”

I’m silent for a moment, fiddling with my necklace as I watch the girls disperse.

“Ah, do you need a ride home?” Mr. Lacroix asks, Mrs. Engel’s shaky voice barely heard over his own.

“That’s okay,” I answer quickly, feeling bad for the no doubt shaken woman.

He hums, the sound of a car door echoing through the phone. “Be safe and let me know when you arrive home then.”

Hanging up with a polite goodbye, I almost drop my phone in surprise when someone calls out to me.

“Evan, you’re still here,” Adrien says happily, grinning with a flush as he jogs over to me.

“Yeah,” I slip my phone back into my pocket, “I was just about to head home.”

The red in his face darkens as he clears his throat. “Well, my offer--”

Suddenly Marinette yells his name, rushing towards us with her hand raised.

“Marinette, what are you doing here?” he questions, smile a bit strained.

“I came here to do some sketching!” she says quickly, ignoring my knowing look as she continues, “I can’t believe we’ve run into each other here!” She shoots me a quick look and I understand, taking a step back to leave as she beams up at Adrien. “Hey, would you like to…” a car honk cuts her off but she quickly continues. “Hang pout--I mean, hang about? No…hag out?”

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cringe at her frazzled state, but I at least decide to be nice and not comment on it. Slipping away as she says something else to him, I only get two steps in before someone grabs the back of my hoodie.

“Wait! Let...let us give you a ride home!” Adrien says quickly, smiling nervously when I turn around.

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I don’t want to be a bother…”

“It’s fine! You’ll get home a lot faster and won’t have to deal with the crowds.”

I almost smile. He _finally_ seemed to be okay with me again. Glancing at Marinette, I perk up with an idea. “How about Marinette? She doesn’t live that far from us either.”

“Uh, yeah! Sure,” he glances at a surprised Marinette, “would you like to ride home with us?”

Alya would definitely call me a good wingman.

She freezes before blurting out, “No, it’s okay. I’ll take a cole slaw home, thanks!”

“ _Marinette_ …” I sigh quietly, resisting the urge to facepalm. This was a perfect opportunity!

“Okay…” Adrien trails off, giving her an odd look before he pulls me towards the car. “Enjoy your meal, then!” Opening the door, he quickly ushers me in before sliding in next to me. “See you at school tomorrow!” he calls one last time before shutting the car door.

Glancing back as we drive off, I can’t wrap my head around her actions. Even though I liked Chat to such a ridiculous degree, I craved being around him. Like a moth to a flame... _or something?_ I don’t know, Mrs. Bustier used it as an example of being in love before.

“So, uh, did you see Chat Noir dealing with that giant baby?” Adrien asks, fidgeting with his collar when I look over at him.

Smiling, I knead at my shoulder absentmindedly. “Yeah, he was as cool as usual…” My face burns and I pull up the collar of my hoodie. “He’s my favorite hero after all.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell.” He gestures to my hoodie with a teasing grin.

“It was a gift and is actually really comfortable,” I object, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at him childishly.

He laughs before smiling softly. “It looks good on you. If I was Chat Noir I’d be instantly charmed.”

My heart flutters and I look out the window to hide my embarrassment. Though I secretly smile to myself. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders now that Adrien wasn’t ignoring me anymore.

Pulling up to the flower shop, I look over at the blonde. “Thanks for dropping me off. You too, sir--” I glance at the bodyguard in the driver’s seat as I open the door--“I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, see you, Evan.” Adrien grins.

Waving as they pull away, my phone vibrates a moment later and I pull it out confusedly.

“ _Btw you can ride home with me anytime you want.”_

Grinning lightly, I slip my phone back in my pocket before heading into the flower shop.

Marinette was going to scream when she found out.

“Who was that, sweetie?” Aunt Claire asks, tending to the flowers next to the door.

“Adrien gave me a ride home,” I answer, stretching my back as I head towards the back, though her giggle has me shooting her a suspicious look.

“How sly! Matthieu did the exact same thing, picking me up and dropping me off different places so he could be around me more.”

“It’s not like that!” I say quickly, face burning at the insinuation. “He’s just a friend.”

She hums. “That’s how they all start out.”

At a loss for words, I leave her and head upstairs, face only cooling when I reach my room.

Tossing my camera bag and gloves on my bed, I toe off my shoes as I grab a change of clothes from my dresser. First thing first was a shower.

Leaving Blann to get comfy as he watches TV, I head downstairs to the bathroom. While I was pretty sure I didn’t get any drool on me, I still felt dirty just thinking about it.

Drying off only when I’m satisfied and clean, I throw on my new clothes before heading back up to my room.

Toweling off my damp hair as I open my door, I come to an abrupt stop at the sight of Chat lounging on my bed.

“Hey, Trouble,” he greets with a slow grin as he sits up. “Bout time you showed up.”

“I-I…” it takes a minute for my brain to digest the whole situation. “What are you doing here?”

His cocky demeanor disappears as he scratches the back of his head as he admits, “I wanted to see you again.”

Forgetting how to breathe, my heart hammers in my chest. He was here to see me? “For what?” I ask, face burning almost painfully.

His own face blossoms a wonderful shade of red as he laughs nervously. “To see you, of course!” he says, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “So, come, sit!”

Cautiously taking the spot next to him, I notice my gloves and reach for them.

Only to have a hand lace itself with mine.

“You don’t need to wear them around me,” Chat says, slowly guiding my hand to rest in between us.

My grip tightens and I’m not sure what to say.

Sensing my growing panic, his eyes widen. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I like the feeling of you touching me.” Then, if to prove a point, he shifts and rests my palm against his smooth, warm cheek.

My mouth dries and I take a sharp breath at the feeling of his skin against my hand. Unable to help myself, I brush my thumb just under his mask, glancing up at his eyes occasionally for any signs of discomfort. Seeing none, my thumb dips dangerously close to the corner of his smiling mouth.

_Would it be okay to kiss him again?_

Feeling like the wind’s been knocked out of me at the wild thought, I pull away with a hasty apology.

“What’s wrong?” he asks just as quickly, not stopping me but not looking happy in the slightest.

I swallow, mouth dry as I wring my hands together. “I…” my voice cracks and I look down shamefully. “ _I wanted to kiss you,_ ” I whisper guilty, because someone like me shouldn’t want to kiss someone like him.

Silence falls between us and I nervously glance up at him, ready for the worst. Only I’m greeted to a flushed Chat covering his face with his hands. Just as I go to apologize again, he lowers his hand with an embarrassed grin.

“I wanted to kiss you too.”

“W-What?” I breathe out, eyes wide as I stare at him.

He laughs nervously. “Is it that surprising? I kissed you yesterday, didn’t I?”

I’m embarrassed enough that I’m afraid I might melt. Was this another dream? Because it felt too unreal to be real.

“So I’m giving you permission to kiss me if you want,” he says, grinning cheekily while leaning forward.

Leaning back as he continues to advance, my thoughts run rampant. The most forefront thought being--

“What about Ladybug?” I blurt out, short of breath. I’ve supported his lover for her since day one and suddenly he’s okay with kissing me?

He stalls, sitting back with a frown. “I...don’t think I like Ladybug anymore,” he admits, and I try not to hyperventilate.

“ _Why?_ ” is all I can muster. Because Chat looked his best when looking at Ladybug.

“I don’t know! Lately you’re all I can think about. At home, outside, anywhere! It’s kinda frustrating, honestly.”

I want to laugh. He has no idea how frustrating it can get.

“I think...even before you kissed me on the soccer field I was still thinking about you. Just not as much, _or as embarrassingly_ ,” he adds with a crooked grin, his nervousness still visible in his eyes.

Sucking in a breath, I fumble with my words. I didn’t know what to do, _what to think!_ Chat possibly liking me back was never a variable I thought of. It was always Ladybug and Chat Noir, with me wishing them happiness on the sidelines.

“You’re lying…” I breathe out, because that was the only option. Chat _couldn’t_ like me. He was just second guessing himself because I showed him affection while Ladybug never budged on her feelings. God, he didn’t even _know_ me as Evan Mercier!

“I think I know my own feelings, Trouble,” he states with his arms crossed.

“How then? Because you’ve only met me a few times and...and _you can’t!_ ” I was borderline hysteric now, because nothing made sense now that I thought about it.

“Hey, calm down, okay?” Chat says softly, his hand weaving up to untangle my fingers tugging at my hair. “I’ve done a lot of soul searching these past few weeks and the answer’s always you.”

I adamantly refuse to let a spark of hope ignite in my chest. This couldn’t be real.

“Still don’t believe me?” asks Chat, before leaning back with a grin brimming with confidence. “That’s okay, I’ll just have to prove it to you.”

Before I can question him, he darts forward and kisses the corner of my lip. Jumping up, he grins down at me with newfound confidence. “I’m going to show you how much a charmer this cat can really be.”

Leaving with a dramatic flourish that only he could pull off, I stare at my open balcony door, completely shocked.

Blann, as cheeky as he was yesterday, flies out of hiding and settles on my shoulder with a giggle.

“Do you need me to pinch you again?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'll be honest, something about the giant baby was gross. I think it was the toothless gums personally. But, ignoring that, Adrien is now back on friendly (or more) terms with Evan again and he's just ecstatic about it. And now he has Chat Noir pursuing him just because I really feel like Evan isn't the type to just accept Chat's feelings so quickly. So he has a long road ahead of him if he wants to win him over. We're building up to a crescendo people, so I'm letting Evan have some happy moments before I rip it all away like the horrible person I am lol
> 
> The pic this chapter --> [here you go fam](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/631912107070324736/evan-chat-confesses-evan)


	12. Glaciator

Landing on my balcony, I slip inside my room while changing back. While there were no akuma attacks today, a bus with failed brakes had me, Ladybug, and Chat Noir chasing it down before it could hurt anyone.

“Chat Noir was a little distracted today, don’t you think?” asks Blann, floating around my head as I sit in my desk chair.

“Yeah, a little,” I sigh, leaning back as I close my eyes. It’s been a couple days since he showed up in my room and said... _things_ , and I still couldn’t process it all. No matter how much I thought about it, it made no sense for _Chat Noir_ of all people to like me. Even less so the Evan Mercier me. Maybe, _maybe_ , if I indulged myself, I could understand him liking me as Lapin Blanc.

_But not normal me._

“Hey, you really got to get a lock. Who knows who might come in.”

I jolt up at the sudden words, coming face to face with a grinning Chat. “Why…”

“Why am I here?” he finishes, waltzing towards me and leaning his hands on the arms of my chair, trapping me in. “I came because I want to take you out, you know, have a nice date, rooftop-style?”

Almost drawn in by his hopeful expression, I look away and swallow heavily. “I-I don’t think that would be a good idea…” I trail off, biting the inside of my cheek to try and slow my racing heart.

“And why not?” he asks, pulling back with an offended look.

“Ladybug might--”

“But I’m not asking Ladybug, I’m asking _you_.” He leans against my desk with a cheeky grin. “So unless you have a better excuse, you’re coming with me.”

I wrack my brain for something, _anything_ , before suddenly remembering the call from earlier. “I can’t!” I state quickly, jumping out of my chair. “I...I’m hanging out with some friends. So I’ll be busy...later…”

“Oh?” he tilts his head, his grin doing something to my heart. “And what are you doing with these “friends” of yours, hm?”

“Uh, going to get ice cream at Andre’s,” I answer, hoping he didn’t pick up on my nervousness. There was no way he’d know I turned the invitation down, not wanting to be the third wheel the whole time.

His lips curl into a mischievous smirk as he takes a dangerous step towards me. “I have on good authority that you declined their invite, so try again, Trouble.”

_How’d he know??_

Groaning, my ears burn as I look away. Unable to muster up another excuse, he tugs at the strings of my hoodie, smirk visible out of the corner of my eye.

“I’ll pick you up at eight,” he says, quickly kissing my cheek before heading toward the balcony, stopping long enough to add, “don’t bother dressing up,” before disappearing over the railing.

Collapsing back into my chair, I stare out at the fading sky and touch my cheek.

“Look at you! You got another kiss!” Blann cheers, coming out from hiding with a grin.

Face exploding in embarrassment, I cover my burning cheeks and groan. This couldn’t possibly end well.

\------

Eating dinner with Aunt Claire and Madeleine, I listen half-heartedly to them before excusing myself to my room.

“You’re awfully fidgety for someone that doesn’t want to go on this date, you know,” teases Blann, giggling as I run my fingers through my messy hair for the dozenth time.

“Be quiet,” I grumble, leg bouncing nervously.

“You’ll be fine. Besides, I thought you’d be happy now that he likes you back.”

I tense up even further. “Even if he really does like me, he’ll have no problem tossing me to the side the second Ladybug realizes how amazing he is,” I explain, kneading my shoulder roughly to keep myself busy. Because I was on the brink of a panic attack just thinking about it.

Blann smacks my forehead with his tiny paw. “Do you really think Chat Noir is the type to play around with your feelings?” he asks, frowning angrily when I look at him.

“I…no,” I answer after a pause. “But--”

“No buts! You just said he wasn’t like that, so have some faith in him!”

I groan. I wanted to. I wanted nothing more. We had each other's back and I trusted him with my life. But my heart? An entirely different matter.

“Looks like your date’s here! Make sure to have fun,” he coos excitedly, slipping into the hood of my hoodie as Chat knocks on my balcony door.

Stopping myself from messing with my hair again, I take a deep breath before standing and opening the door. Before I could get a word in, a rose was promptly shoved in my face.

I swallow dryly as I take the flower from him, emotions trying to claw their way up my throat. Not only was he being cute, but thoughtful as well.

“Are you wooed yet?” he questions with a confident grin.

And, despite how much I try to deny it, it makes me want to kiss him so bad it hurts. But I don’t, _even though I really, really want to._

Offering his hand with a dramatic flourish, he says, “Come on, Trouble.”

My hand reaches for his but I hesitate. Doing this felt weird. _Wrong_. Like I was messing up something I had no right getting involved in.

And yet my heart was still hammering in my chest all the same.

Just this once, then. _Just this once_ I’d be selfish. Ladybug had him all the time, so what was one measly evening?

I take his hand.

Quickly reaching a rooftop lit up with candles, he sets me down and makes a sweeping motion with a large grin.

“So, what do you think?”

Glancing around in awe at the rose petals littering the ground around us, I’m at a loss for words. “You…did all this?”

“Yep,” he grins. “I told you I’d show you how serious I was.”

I let out a breath of astonishment. Chat doing anything even remotely romantic for me never crossed my mind. And now that it was happening I had no idea what to do.

Motioning for me to sit next to him, I obediently take the empty spot on the blanket, making sure to leave an ample amount of space between us. “I hope you bought all these roses from my aunt,” I joke, trying to ease the tension eating away at me.

“Would I buy them anywhere else?” he says with a wink, smoothly sliding closer until our shoulders brush.

Torn between wanting to shrink away and shift closer, I rub my hand against my knee nervously.

“And before I forget--” his fingers deftly slip against my palm, under my glove, and slip off the glove in one fluid movement. There’s a spark of anxiety at the exposed skin, and I want to pull away, but it’s quickly replaced by fluttering warmth when his fingers tangle with mine.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his grip tightening comfortingly.

Staring down our conjoined hands, I suck in a sharp breath and can only manage a jerky nod. His suit was smooth but still radiated warmth. _His warmth_. And that was more than enough.

He laughs, sounding relieved. “Good, because I plan on doing this a lot.” As if to prove his point he snuggles closer and rests his head on my shoulder with a small hum.

Face flushing, I swallow heavily and pray that he can’t hear the pounding of my heart. Though I grow even more embarrassed because there was no way he couldn’t. But...maybe it was okay this time...

The sounds of the bustling city echo down below as I slowly relax, the faint, deep purring coming from Chat lighting a content fire in my stomach. Finding myself leaning against him, I rest my cheek against the top of his head tentatively. It felt nice, just sitting here with him, no need to pretend I wasn’t desperately, recklessly in love with him. I could almost trick myself into believing that he really felt the same and this wouldn’t end horribly like I knew it would.

“You know…” Chat speaks up, pulling me out of my drifting. “You asked me how I could like you, but I could ask you the same. You’ve probably only seen me on TV and fighting akumatized villains. Not a lot to go on if you ask me.”

I try not to panic, because he was right. I fell in love with him through Lapin Blanc. Through hanging out with him and fighting by his and Ladybug’s side. _Not_ through a TV screen.

“But it’s okay not to tell yet. Got to have an excuse to see you again, right?” he quips, looking over at me with a crooked grin.

_Be still my beating heart._

“You’re pretty confident that I’ll want to go back out with you,” I say, tempering my grin as I shoot him a look.

“Please,” he scoffs. “You’re too enamored to leave now.”

My eyebrows raise. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay, I’m pretty enamored myself.”

Laughing at the way he bats his eyes at me dramatically, I can’t help but be drawn in by his words. Chat was a natural charmer, but it was extra potent directed at me. I didn’t know how Ladybug could remain unswayed.

“ _Buttttt._...if you need a little push,” he lets go of my hand and I almost grab it instinctively as he turns away, “I brought _these_ to get you to stay.”

When he opens the box in his hands I perk up at the sight of the different colored macarons.

“See? Knew you’d like it.”

Ignoring his smugness, I carefully grab one of the treats. I haven’t had one since Marinette brought them to school for career day. I didn’t want to ask Aunt Claire for even more than she was already willingly giving me.

“ _Want me to feed you, darling_ ,” Chat teases with a cheesy grin.

Shoving him with an amused eye roll as I take a bite of the macaron, a pleased hum works its way up my throat. “These are good,” I mumble, smiling excitedly at the blonde hero.

“Good enough for a thank you kiss?”

Fighting down a blush, knowing that he was teasing, I almost decide to ignore the remark before deciding against it last minute. With a small nod, more to reassure myself, I bite the inside of my cheek before quickly leaning towards him and kissing the corner of his mouth.

As I, a little reluctantly, pull away, he stares at me with an open mouth and reddening face. “I...I was kidding!”

His embarrassment was infectious and I look away with a nervous laugh. “I know. It's payback for last time,” I say, shaky voice betraying the joking manner I was trying to go for.

“Jeez, warn a guy beforehand,” he grumbles, pouting childishly.

I fiddle with my hands guiltily. “Yeah, I--”

Just as I turn to look at him, he shifts forward, macrons forgotten. _He was going to kiss me again._ Luckily, or unluckily if I’m being truthful, my phone rings, shattering the intimate atmosphere we had.

The both of us avert our eyes, faces bright red as I scramble for my phone. Seeing it was Marinette, I bite back a sigh.

_What terrible timing…_

“Hello?”

“Hey, Evan…” she sighs, sounding defeated.

Sitting up straighter, I glance at a pouting Chat before quietly asking, “Is everything okay?”

I swear I could almost hear her tear up. “Not really. The...the group date thing didn’t go too well.”

“What happened?”

“A lot of stuff,” she sighs. “And to add to it, Adrien didn’t even show up… _ugh_ , I’m so lame!”

Chat flops dramatically across the blanket as I stand. “Do you...maybe want me to come over or something?” I question, rubbing my shoulder nervously as Chat quickly sits up with a frown.

“I--” she hesitates--“no, it’s fine. I don’t want to bother you.”

I see Marinette’s balcony, and her, just a building away. “You wouldn’t, I promise! Besides, I’m, uh, really close by actually.”

“Really?”

“Look to your right, up on the roof,” I instruct, giving her a little wave when she looks my way.

“What are you doing up there?” she asks, a hint of alarm in her voice.

My ears warm as I try not to blush. “Uh, I was just hanging out--”

“ _On a date~_ ” Chat sings, popping up next to me to lean on the railing with a smirk.

“--with someone,” I finish, shoving him away with a flustered glare.

“Now I really don’t want to bother you,” she giggles, some of her melancholy fading before her resigned sigh crackles through the phone. “I’ll let you go. I don’t want to interrupt you guys.”

“Mari--!” Groaning as she hangs up, I almost yell her name to grab her attention when I see her cradling her head in her hands. Turning to Chat, I bite the inside of my cheek. “Chat, can we...”

“Go check on your friend,” he finishes with a quiet sigh, before flashing me a smile that doesn’t seem quite genuine. “Of course, let’s go.”

Tossing me my glove and sweeping me up in one smooth motion, he quickly jumps over to Marinette.

“Hello,” I greet softly as he sets me on the ground behind her.

Jumping in surprise, she turns around with wide eyes. “Evan, Chat Noir!”

“Look, I know you said not to come, but you sounded like you wanted to talk about it. So…” I shrug lamely, “here I am.”

“But your date…”

“It’s fine!” Chat cuts in, his grin not matching the dejected look in his eyes. “I’ll just go and clean everything up while you guys have a nice chat.”

Grabbing his wrist before he can leave, I quickly say, “I’ll make it up to you.”

He grins lightly. “Count on it, Trouble.”

As he leaps away, I turn back to Marinette. “You wanna talk about it?” I offer, ignoring the urge to glance up and see if I could spot Chat from here. I felt bad about basically ditching him, but surely he understood, right?

With a small sigh, she leans against the railing and starts describing everything that went wrong. Adrien being a no-show, Andre’s ice cream, her frustration, all of it comes spilling out like an overflowing sink. And I take it in stride, because she deserved at least that much.

“...and now I feel stupid because of the way I acted,” she finishes solemnly.

Humming lightly, I stare out at the dark sky from my spot next to her, trying to think of the correct thing to say. “I think Alya knows you were frustrated, but it’d probably be a good idea to apologize tomorrow, you know, when you’ve had time to process everything,” I offer hesitantly, clumsily regurgitating something from the self-help book my therapist gave me.

“Yeah...you’re right,” she sighs with a small shake of her head.

A comfortable silence falls between us before she speaks up to say, “I had no idea you and Chat were dating.”

Choking on my spit, I stare at her with wide eyes. “W-We aren’t like that!” I sputter out, face burning.

She gives me a disbelieving look and I feel compelled to keep speaking.

“He’s just confused right now. T-There’s no way he could really like me…”

“Why not?” she questions with a tilt of her head.

I want to shake her. To demand a reason _why_ she could ever think he could like me. “Someone like him couldn’t possibly like someone like me,” I groan out, running my hand through my hair frustratedly.

“ _Someone like you?_ ” she echoes, looking offended. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Marinette…” I sigh, “you know what I mean. I know I’m...not normal. In more ways than one. And while I appreciate you guys putting up with my shortcomings, even _thinking_ of Chat liking me makes me queasy. Because I…”

I’m not enough.

Not brave enough. Not confident enough. Not outgoing enough.

_Not enough like Ladybug._

At the end of the day, all I was was Evan Mercier.

_And he would never be enough._

“ _I_ like you.”

Pulled out of my spiraling thoughts, I glance over at the dark-haired girl.

“Alya likes you too, as well as Adrien and Nino,” she continues. “Are we just confused? Because we all like hanging out with you, you know. And I know Chat has to like you, because he may be a flirt, but he wouldn’t lead you on.”

For a minute it was like seeing Ladybug when she would give someone a pep talk. But I blink and the image disappears. “If only you were so forward with Adrien, huh?” I joke, the serious atmosphere building between us being snuffed out like a candle.

Laughing at her embarrassed blubbering, my mood lifts and I nudge her shoulder playfully. “Adrien’s really lucky, alright? I look forward to the wedding.”

“You!” she huffs, shoving me lightly, though a giggles breaks through her scowl. “You should- _-look out!_ ”

Catching the sight of a large snowman as she quickly yanks me back, Chat appears in front of us and blocks a large scoop of ice cream thrown our way.

“Marinette, party-pooper, you’re looking so sad and surly!” the giant snowman scolds as he stomps down the road. “But Glaciator will make it all better, don’t you worry!”

Tugging her further away, out of view, I bite the inside of my cheek worriedly. This was probably that ice cream guy, Andre, right?

“What’s that?” questions Chat, standing in front of us protectively. “Another supervillain in love with you, Marinette?”

“No!” she objects quickly before gasping. “That’s....Andre the ice-cream maker!”

“The sweethearts guy? He isn’t looking too sweet now.”

“It’s...it’s a long story…”

Putting my hand on her shoulder, I offer a comforting smile. “It’s okay, Marinette.”

Glaciator begins singing in down below, ice cream spraying in the air and raining down around us.

Standing above us, Chat stops the ice cream from hitting us with a spin of his staff. “You two go inside! I’m gonna lead him away from here,” he says, getting ready to leave.

I grab his wrist. “Chat, wait! I need to go home. My aunt will freak out if she finds out I’m gone!”

He looks conflicted before nodding sharply and sweeping me up. “Okay.”

Leaping across rooftops to reach my balcony, he sets me down and quickly ushers me inside.

“Stay here and don’t go outside, okay?”

Nodding, I hesitate for a moment before grabbing his hand. “Be careful okay?”

He smirks, stepping closer as he tangles his fingers in mine. “When you say it like that, I have no choice but to agree.”

Then, all too quickly he slinks away, dropping my hand and disappearing out the balcony door.

Taking a moment to calm my racing heart, I fall down into my chair. He was too charming and I was screwed.

“Are we going to go help your _boyfriend?_ ” Blann coos with a giggle as he slips out of my hood.

“He’s not--” I take a breath and stand. “Let’s just go. Blann, ears up!”

Following the sound of Glaciator’s stomping, Chat’s yell echoes overhead as a police car soars over me. Skidding to a stop, I quickly change directions and trail after the vehicle. Seeing him dislodge from the car, I worriedly speed up but luckily Ladybug is already there, yoyo strung up to act as a net.

Landing next to her, I look him over subtly as she says, “Hello, kitty. Did the bad guys leave you cold?”

“Oh haha,” he rolls his eyes, “the only “cold” thing was my date.”

Me? Before I could question him, Glaciator’s booming voice stops me.

“I’ve never tasted superhero flavor before! I can’t wait to serve myself a double scoop!”

Quickly pulling people out of the way of the large scoops of ice cream, one of the bystanders ends up hit and she freezes and turns into ice cream. Dodging a flying scoop, I hastily make a mental apology to the woman as I join up with Ladybug and Chat.

“Come out now or I’ll bury Pairs in an entire layer of ice cream!” Glaciator shouts as the three of us duck around the corner.

“The ice cream fires out of his hands. And before Andre got akumatized he served his ice cream using a...uh, whatchamacallit!” she says, gesturing wildly.

“Oh! You mean a, um...a…” I trail off, racking my brain for the right word.

“I think you guys mean an ice cream scooper,” Chat says, giving the two of us odd looks, his mood still low. “That must be where he’s hiding the akuma.”

“It’s been a ball! But now it’s time to turn you into popsicles, once and for all!” Glaciator bellows, and we quickly scatter as he turns the corner and fires ice cream at us.

Heading up to the roof, as he leans against the chimney.

Ladybug watches Glaciator as my attention drifts back to a solemn Chat leaning against the chimney.

What was going on with him?

“That’s weird. He’s leaving the couples alone,” she says before standing. “We could pretend to be in love so we can get close.”

“That goes to Lapin,” Chat says with a frown and shake of his head. “There’s someone that I don’t want to get the wrong idea.”

My heart skips. He was still thinking about me?

Ladybug sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Are you mad? Because you’ve been a little out of it.”

He narrows his eyes, glaring at the ground. “Aren’t we supposed to be capturing an akuma right now?” he hisses, jumping away and completely disregarding the plan.

Yelling after him, Ladybug and I share concerned looks before jumping after him.

He seemed fine earlier. Sure, he was disappointed that I left to talk to Marinette, but was that really enough to affect him so much now?

Getting his staff lodged in Glaciator, Ladybug leaps in front of him while I dash by and yank him behind an upturned car.

“What’s your deal?” I seethe frustratedly as I pull him down by the arm. Didn’t he promise to be careful?

He looks away, arms crossed. “Nothing,” he mumbles stubbornly.

I hold in the urge to shake him. We had borrowed time with Ladybug distracting Glaciator. “Chat, please talk to me.” Obviously something was upsetting him enough that he was struggling.

“...how would you feel if someone left in the middle of a date?” he finally says, finger tapping against his knee nervously.

What?

“I mean, I get it. Your friend calls and is upset so you want to see them. I totally get it. It’s just...no one puts me first and I thought maybe they would.”

Is that how I made him feel? That he wasn’t the first thing I thought about when I woke up? Or the last thing I thought about when I went to bed?

“I think...you should talk to them after we deal with everything. I’m sure they don’t know you feel that way.” And that was putting it mildly. Chat feeling insecure about me going to Marinette never even crossed my mind.

“Is everything sorted out now?” Ladybug asks, landing next to us and ducking low.

Taking a deep breath, Chat nods lightly. “Yeah, you’re right Lapin. I’m sorry.”

“Show yourselves cowards!” Glaciator shouts, a little further down the road.

Popping his head up to look at him, Chat crouches back down. “I think we better try your idea, Ladybug.”

“Perfect.” Grabbing my arm, she tugs me out into the open before I could protest.

Unsure what to do, I jump in surprise when she clings to my arm, pressing close.

“Just follow my lead,” she whispers as we walk forward.

“Right…”

Doing my best to keep my discomfort off my face, I tense as Glaciator aims his fists at us. _This wasn’t going to work_.

Then she leans up and kisses my cheek.

Seeing my surprised expression, she smiles apologetically. “It’s all part of the plan.”

I nod, letting out a long breath. While her lips touching my cheek felt nice, they didn’t even hold a candle on the way Chat’s kisses made me feel.

“I can’t, Hawk Moth. They look so...in love!” Glaciator objects and I just want to run and hide. I’ve never even thought about Ladybug as anything other than a friend.

“Now!” she yells, pulling away and throwing her yoyo at the large snowman. “I hit something inside! Andre hasn’t turned into the monster--he’s inside the monster!”

Yanking back, Glaciator pulls Ladybug up from the ground and I run under him as Chat sweeps him off his feet with his staff.

“This isn’t over!” he shouts, temporarily unable to move as we regroup down the road.

“What should we do now?” questions Chat.

“We’ve gotta take care of Glaciator before all people totally melt away!” Ladybug says, before summoning her Lucky Charm.

Seeing the motorcycle helmet in her hands, Chat remarks, “Looks like someone’s going for a ride.”

I almost sigh in relief. At least he was okay enough right now to joke around.

Taking a look around, Ladybug’s eyes widen in realization. “Chat Noir, I need you to grab three signposts and tie them to your staff. We’re going to make a propeller!”

“A propeller?” Chat and I echo, shrugging at each other before following after her.

Quickly grabbing the signs as he holds his staff ready, we connect them to the end and bring it over to Ladybug.

“All right, now give me your belt,” she orders, setting up the motorcycle.

Strapping everything together, Chat wedges his staff in the bench behind the bud while Ladybug traps Glaciator in place with her yoyo.

Jumping on the motorcycle when he starts shooting ice cream, she revs the engine and gives Chat the okay.

Using his Cataclysm on the turned over bus, Ladybug speeds up the propeller, causing the ice cream protecting Andre to break away.

Moving ahead before the propeller even fully stops, I grab the scoop and toss it to Ladybug.

Breaking it, she begins the process of purifying the akuma and I glance over at Chat.

He’d probably show up at my place, and then…

And then what?

Biting the inside of my cheek, I knead at my shoulder roughly as I try to think. I wanted him to be honest about how he felt. Even if his feelings were temporary, I didn’t want to hurt him. I’d never want to hurt him. But if he didn’t say anything was I supposed to pretend that everything was okay? Because I don’t think I could do that either…

Groaning to myself, I notice Chat and Ladybug talking with the ice cream vendor and choose now to sneak away. I’d want to be home just in case he did show up-- _like I secretly hoped_.

Reaching the flower shop, I drop down to the balcony and change back as I head inside.

“Do you think he’ll show up?” Blann asks, yawning cutely as I hold him in my hands.

I glance at the door as I toss my gloves on my desk. I hoped so.

Sprawling across the couch at the foot of my bed, I turn the TV for background noise as I nervously wait.

Almost a half hour passes and for a moment I don’t think he’s coming, sighing in defeat as I shift around a sleeping Blann to sit up. Thankfully, a light rapping comes from the balcony door and I quickly hop up and pull it open.

“Hey, Trouble, hope I’m not interrupting,” he greets, slinking inside with a crooked grin.

“N-No, I...I was actually waiting for you,” I state honestly. What he told me earlier bouncing around my skull.

He flushes, laughing as he rubs the back of his head. “Careful, I might start thinking you like me.”

“And I’m sorry for making you take me to Marinette’s in the middle of our...our _d-date_.” I press on, determined to apologize despite my growing embarrassment. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t want to answer my phone at first, but I was worried.”

“Don’t apologize,” he says softly as he sits on my bed. “Since we’re being honest right now, I was pretty jealous of Marinette. You were so quick to check on her and…”

As he falls silent I make a bold move, sitting next to him and lacing my fingers through his. I’m nervous for a moment about my hands, that he’ll question the permanent scar on the back of my left one, but he only shifts his hand for a more comfortable grip. The intimate nature of it all makes my face burn, but when doesn’t it around him?

“Marinette’s one of my first friends, so of course I’d have a soft spot for her. But you...you’re different.” I’m pretty sure he can feel the heat radiating off my face as I quietly mumble, “I like you in a completely different way.”

I expect a sarcastic remark, maybe some teasing, but he instead tightens his grip on my hand and leans his head on my shoulder.

“I didn’t want you to leave, but I didn’t want to make you stay,” he says quietly. “I didn’t want you to think I was annoying or selfish if I said anything.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I don’t mind you being a little selfish.”

He laughs mirthlessly. “You say that now.”

“I’m serious.” I squeeze his hand. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to hold back.”

“Oh? Then that means you’ll give in and be my boyfriend?”

I stiffen. “No.”

“Drat, thought I’d get you,” he laughs, and my stomach flutters. “But you should be careful, indulge me too much and I might try and steal you away.”

“I wouldn’t mind if it was you.”

“T-That’s foul play,” he sputters, lifting his head with a glare.

I apologize with a small chuckle.

“Doesn’t sound like you are,” he pouts.

I laugh as he nuzzles my shoulder with a grumble, the two of us falling into a comfortable silence.

My mind drifts slightly, thoughts bouncing between just how lucky I was to _just how lucky was I really?_

“Could I be your special someone?” Chat asks, voice breaking the calm atmosphere.

I glance down at him, breath caught in my throat. “You already are,” I whisper, toeing the line I didn’t want to cross. No, _couldn’t_ cross. The fears of _what-ifs_ eating me from deep within.

But I couldn’t lie, not when he sounded so hesitant.

“You know, not to brag,” he was back to being his adorably cocky self, “but it’s only a matter of time until you give in and agree to date me.”

“Doubt that,” I scoff, though the reply rolls off of him like water as his head leaves my shoulder.

Standing, he pulls me up along with him. “You said I could be as selfish as I want, so what I want is to get you to admit your head-over-heels for me,” he says with a cheeky grin.

“You’re ridiculous…” I sigh, a smile threatening to ruin my carefully set frown.

He sees through my attempt and laughs before springing forward and planting his lips firmly on mine. Arms looping around my neck as he tugs me closer, his fingers scratching at the shaved part of my undercut makes me shiver.

Unable to control myself, I press against him and grab at his waist as I shift closer. My glove free hand snakes up his back, which makes him downright _purr_ , and I tangle my fingers in his messy hair.

_And it was just as nice as I remember._

Minutes, hours, seconds, I don’t know how much time passed, but we eventually pull away. Short of breath, I rest my forehead against his, unable to look away from his lidded, bright green eyes.

“And _that’s_ the right way to get revenge, by the way,” he says breathlessly, cocky smirk lifting the corners of his lips before he pulls away and disappears into the night.

Sighing shakily, I touch my lips and I already feel my resolve cracking.

_Maybe it was okay to get my heartbroken if it was by him._

\------

“Have fun on your date!” Aunt Claire shouts, my face exploding into a blush as I hurry out the front door.

“It’s not a date!” I answer quickly, bristling at her giggling as the glass doors shut behind me. She was _incorrigible_. All Adrien wanted was to go and get ice cream since me managed to track down the elusive ice cream vendor.

Heading to the familiar black car parked across the street, Adrien greets me with an excited wave.

“Hey! I’m really glad you could come with me,” he says as he slides in the back after me.

I smile, heat from my face fading. “Too bad everyone else was busy. Marinette would’ve loved to come.”

“Y-Yeah, I’ll have to ask them another time.”

As the car pulls away, we chat back and forth. Him complaining about his piano lessons and me about how the storm the other day ruined my photoshoot in the park.

Reaching the small bridge Andre was located on, Adrien hops out of the car excitedly.

“I heard his ice cream is magical,” he says as we head up the stairs.

“Only as magical as you’ll let it! Would the both of you like some sweetheart ice cream?” Andre bellows, grinning jovially at us.

“We’d love some!” Adrien says, glancing at me with an energetic smile.

Turning towards his cart, he begins filling up the cone. “Blackberry ice cream, peach pink for his lips, and mint like his eyes,” he says, turning to show me the stacked ice cream. “So, what do you think? Can you feel the love blooming?”

Taking the treat with a polite _“thank you”_ , it was a little amusing how it reminded me of Chat. But maybe that was just me projecting.

“And now, you, my good sir,” he turns to Adrien with a grin before twisting back around to his cart. “Strawberry, for his rosy cheeks, and chocolate for his unruly hair. Here, on the house, because young love sometimes needs a push.”

I almost drop my ice cream. “W-What? We’re not…”

“Ah, but Andre can see it, clear as day. There’s love in your eyes, no need to be shy.”

Embarrassment sweeps through me and a blush quickly spreads across my face. Glancing at Adrien for some sort of backup, his face was just as red, eyes trained on the ice cream in his hand.

Feeling even more flustered at the blonde’s expression, I grab his hand and pull him back towards his car. “Thank you for the ice cream, sir!” I say quickly, casting the briefest glance at the vendor before heading down the stairs, Adrien still in tow.

Trailing to a stop as the bodyguard eyes us suspiciously, I cover my face with my free hand. “The fact that people keep thinking we’re together…” I groan lowly, heat from my blush soaking into my glove.

“People think that?” Adrien asks, staring at me with wide-eyes.

I nod, letting my arm fall to my side. “Mr. Lacroix, my aunt, and my cousin all think so. I’ve even tried setting them straight but they won’t listen.”

He hums, and I almost question his weird, giddy smile before he motions to my ice cream. “Better eat it before it melts,” he says.

He was right, and I busy myself with spooning the ice cream in my mouth. Sighing at the taste, I have to admit it was pretty good. “We’ll have to find him again,” I mumble, licking my lips as I grin.

Adrien blushes out of the corner of my eye, though he smiles largely.

“When you say it like that, I have no choice but to agree.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another full on kiss and a date! Things are moving pretty smoothly for Evan and Chat. Be a pity if something...came along and ruined that, right? Just kidding! (for now at least) Evan still struggles with feeling like he's good enough to be with Chat, but Chat/Adrien has his own insecurities he has to work through. I feel like he'd struggle with jealousy and honestly be a little clingy, but hide it because he doesn't want his s/o to think he's annoying. So basically, they both got baggage. (Basically nice A+ parenting guys, you did a banger job)
> 
> And this chapters art --> [the rooftop scene](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/632515509597929472/just-two-guys-that-arent-dating-having-a)


	13. The Sapotis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note - If you haven't seen 'A Whisker Away' it's about this girl that is in love with her classmate and gets a mask that lets her turn into a cat when she wears it. There's more, but if you like hurt/comfort (like me) then I'd definitely check it out.

Sitting at my desk as I finish up my homework, I glance over at my phone as it dings. Expecting to be Alya or Marinette, who’ve been messaging me intermittently during their babysitting/ sleepover thing, I’m mildly surprised to see Adrien’s name lighting up the screen instead.

_Hey, what are you doing?_

“ _Finishing my homework,_ ” I type back, silently proud that it didn’t take me an embarrassingly long time to respond anymore. It was horrible the first couple days.

Waiting a few moments for a reply, nothing comes and I set my phone back down with a shrug. If he was busy I wouldn’t worry about getting a response right now.

Just as I finish my last math question a familiar knock on my balcony door has butterflies erupting in my stomach.

“Did you miss me?” Chat says as he lets himself in, grinning as he eyes me. “Oh, what am I saying, of course you did.”

“In your dreams,” I answer, rolling my eyes as a smile tugs at my mouth.

“Why, yes, you are.” He winks, sending my heart into overdrive.

I don’t think I’d ever get used to him flirting so brazenly.

“So, any big plans this lovely evening?” he continues on, tail brushing my knee as he passes by to sit on my bed.

Shaking my head, I let my face cool before replying, “No, though I could ask you the same.”

“I, my cute little trouble-maker, _do_ have plans for tonight.”

I try not to feel too dejected.

“And they involve you.”

“Me?” I ask, pointing to myself owlishly.

He chuckles, red hue coloring his cheeks. “Yes, _you_. I figured since we did what I wanted last time we could do something you wanted.”

I flush, rubbing my palm on my thigh as I look away. This was a date right? Just like last time. “I...I wasn’t really planning on going anywhere, but…”

“Then we’ll have a date here, no problem!” He smirks as he leans back on his hands. “We can watch a movie, cuddle up on the couch, just have a grand old time.”

My heart flutters as my pulse jumps. Mouth suddenly dry, I, and probably Chat, already know I can’t deny him. Not even if I wanted to.

Grinning excitedly when I give in, he jumps up and pulls me to the couch. Nestling right up against my side like it was the most natural thing to do, he grabs for the remote and asks, “What do you usually watch?”

I shrug. “Usually just whatever’s on.”

“Hmm...not making this easy are you?”

“Sorry…”

He leans against me, tail twining around my leg. “How about we just pick something random then?”

Scrolling through Netflix, he eventually stops on an anime movie with a cat on the cover. “ _A Whisker Away_? Has the _purr_ fect ring to it, doesn't it?”

Snorting at the pun, I settle into my spot as Chat starts the movie and takes my hand in an increasingly familiar motion.

Exactly one hour and forty-five minutes later I’m a teary-eyed mess, turned away from both him and the TV in embarrassment.

“Are you crying?” Chat asks, smile visible in his voice.

“N-No?” I offer lamely, scrubbing at my eyes as my face burns.

A hand slides against my cheek, turning me to face an amused Chat. Brushing away the tears gathered in the corner of my eye with his thumb, he laughs, though the sound isn’t malicious or mocking. It’s...almost endearing.

“I’m just…that movie was good, okay?” I mumble embarrassingly, face practically boiling as I look away.

“You’re seriously cute,” he says, smile soft and inviting as I glance at him.

I could melt on the spot, only grounding myself by cupping his hand on my cheek. “So are you…” I say quietly, finally looking him in the eyes despite my embarrassment.

“I already knew that, but it’s nice to have some reassurance,” he teases, trying to downplay the way his cheeks redden.

The fact that I was able to fluster him at all made me want to grin. Or pull him tight against me and whisper exactly how he made me feel.

Chat’s hand slips from my face as he sits back against the couch. “Who was your favorite character?” he asks, other hand still loosely locked with mine.

I hum thoughtfully as I sink into the couch. “I liked the stepmom, she reminded me a lot of Aunt Claire. We were...actually about as awkward around each other at first as the main girl and her were.”

“Really? You guys seem really close though.”

“I mean, _now,_ yeah,” I laugh. “But at first it was really, uh, nerve-wracking. I...um...almost wanted to go back to Germany the first week here.”

“That bad, huh?” he questions with a frown.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I quickly shake my head. “It wasn’t _bad_. I was just…” _scared_ , “nervous about staying somewhere new. Aunt Claire and Madeleine were nothing but nice, but I was still…”

_Scared, just admit you were terrified during the whole “settling-in” process._

Noticing my unease, he rubs the back of my hand soothingly with his thumb. “Well, I’m glad you stayed,” he says warmly, smile threatening to take my breath away.

Clearing my throat, I force down the urge to kiss him and instead ask him, “Who was your favorite character?”

He hums. “I liked the main girl. I sorta understand her feeling like she could only be happy as a cat. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a cat all the time, am I right?” He forces a laugh, trying to make his words less heavy, less meaningful.

And it hurt, hearing him diminish how he felt. So, with a surge of confidence, I turn to him and lean forward. “I’ll always like you,” I state resolutely, hand gripping the armrest behind him as I stare into his eyes.

His face reddens and his gaze flickers across my face as he weakly jokes, “Even if I'm a forty year old creep?”

“ _Are you_ a creepy forty year old?” I ask, half-jokingly, but still not letting up. Something in me felt like he was around my age. Call it intuition or hope.

He laughs airily while shaking his head. “Don’t worry, I’m the same age as you.”

“And you don’t have to worry, either. I’ve...liked you a long time. And I’m sure that wouldn’t change just because of who you are underneath the mask.”

“...even if I was one of your friends?” he whispers, almost faint enough that I don’t catch it.

“I…” I clench the arm of the couch and bite my tongue. Could he…? “No, that’s impossible,” I say with a shake of my head, laughing lightly as I lean back. He couldn’t....right? No, of course he’s not. He was just joking around.

“Yeah. _Impossible_ …” he laughs, almost humorlessly, as he straightens himself out and grips my hand tightly. “What about if I was actually Nathanael then?”

I blink, caught off guard before snorting. “He can barely look me in the eyes, so I really doubt you’re him.”

“But you don’t know! I could be anyone and you’d have no idea. Doesn’t that _scare you_?” he questions, more curious than accusing.

I still as I try to think of how to word my response. “I’ve...I’ve always known that I’d probably never know who you were behind the mask, so I’m content with whatever time you give me. Besides, I l-like _Chat Noir_ so I’m happy to be around you.”

He leans against my shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. “Trust me, you wouldn’t feel the same about civilian me. I’m not…”

“Then tell me about yourself,” I say quickly, heart clenching at his saddened tone. “Tell me about the things you enjoy, the things you don’t--all of it! I _want_ you to be yourself around me, whether it’s who you are out of the mask or who you are in it.”

Silence falls and for a panicked moment I’m worried I was wrong, that I got a little too confident in his feelings.

“J-Jeez,” he stutters with a quiet laugh. “You can say all that with a straight face but get all flustered when I hold your hand?”

He was deflecting. I knew it, he knew it, there was no hiding it.

“Chat…” I say softly, hoping for him to look up at me.

His only response is to bury his head into the crook of my neck stubbornly.

Furrowing my brows, I nudge my shoulder. “Chat, come on…”

When he doesn’t respond, I sigh, pulling him away from his hiding spot to get a good look at him. “Cha…” trailing off dumbly when I finally see him, my stomach flips at the sight of his face

From the tips of his ears, to disappearing underneath his open collar, Chat was a bright, _steaming_ red. Glowering at me as he tries to hide his obvious embarrassment, he wiggles his fingers out of mine and grabs my face with both hands.

“I know you’re still thinking all of this is temporary, but I’m going to love you so much you’re only option is to accept it.” He grins, flashing his sparkling teeth. “You might as well give in and just admit your head-over-heels for me. Make the process easier.”

Ears burning, I roll my eyes with an amused huff. “If you’re so sure, why bother making me admit it?”

“I’ll accept it, you know.” He rubs my cheeks with a smirk as the last of his blush fades. “I’ll even give you a cheesy, over-the-top confession back.”

“I’m sure you would,” I say as I pull his hands off my face. Creeping insecurities pounding at the back of my head, I swallow the rising unease with a crooked smile. I didn’t want to ruin the nice, warm atmosphere we had by voicing all the reasons we couldn’t be together. Because, as selfish as it was, I at least wanted to be with him while he still wanted to be with me.

“You’re thinking again, Trouble.” He twines our fingers together with ease, holding my hands firmly in his own.

“People tend to do that,” I answer, unable to focus on the ugly scar on the back of my left hand. It still made me uncomfortable sometimes, now being one of them.

“Haha,” he rolls his eyes, “you know what I mean.” His cat ears twitch, most likely picking up on my discomfort, but he doesn’t say anything about it.

“I’m just…” _scared? Paranoid? Resigned to a lonely future because you’re afraid of getting hurt? All of the above?_

He smiles unhappily as he looks down. “I’m not leaving or falling back in love with Ladybug, you know that right? I may be a charming rogue, but I’m loyal to a fault.”

I knew that. He even passed the chance to pretend to be her boyfriend last time. But it was still… “It’s not your fault,” I sigh, squeezing his hands. “Things... _happened_...when I was younger and it’s...it’s hard to believe you would like me more than Ladybug.”

“Like your hand?” he asks, looking up at me with a twinge of curiosity.

My mouth dries and I nod stiffly. “Y-Yeah, like my hand.”

“I won’t ask!” he says quickly, picking up on my nervousness. “But if you ever want to talk about it…”

“I know, Chat. I have a group of great friends, and now you. I’m happier now than I ever was back in Germany.”

“Good. Because I don’t think I could let you go back, even if you wanted to,” he says with a joking grin.

“Don’t worry,” I shake my head, “I’ll never want to. Home is here.”

“ _With me?_ ” he asks, smirking cheekily.

“With Aunt Claire and Madeleine.”

He leans away, playfully hurt. “Ouch, and here I thought we had something.”

“Sorry, I plan on being married to my job,” I say with a grin, holding in a snicker.

“Guess I’ll have to quit being a hero and become a fulltime model,” he says with a dramatic sigh. “But you’ll only be allowed to take pictures of me, got it? I’m a very jealous kitty after all.”

I snort, pulling him closer as he willingly falls into my chest. “Don’t worry, you’re the only one gunning for my affection.”

“Says _you_ …”

Rolling my eyes, I untangle one of my hands from his and comb my fingers through his hair on the back of his head.

Chat snuggles into me with a purr, free hand wrapping loosely around my waist.

With a comfortable silence surrounding us, a smile tugs at my face. _This was pretty nice._

Then a large rock crashes through the balcony door.

Bolting up to see what happened, the remote falls to the ground and changes the TV to the news channel.

“These miniature monsters seem to be attacking more and more people throughout Paris,” the news anchor says before suddenly screaming when small, red creatures jump at her.

Switching to the live report, upturned cars and general mayhem flow through the streets. The small monsters being the cause.

“I think I’d better take care of this,” Chat says before fixing me with a serious stare. “Where are your aunt and cousin?”

“Maddie’s at a sleepover and Aunt Claire’s out with friends,” I answer.

“Okay. I want you to go downstairs and hide out in the living room. Keep your phone close and do not, I repeat, _do not_ go outside.”

I almost roll my eyes but nod. It was cute that he worried, but I would be gone the moment he left.

“I’m serious, Trouble. If you stay safe, I might even give you a _kiss_ ,” he teases with a wink.

“Don’t you have a city to save?” I ask, tips of my ears burning as I point him towards the balcony door.

“Okay, okay, I’m going.” He holds my hand for a brief moment before heading out the broken glass and disappearing up to the roof.

A beat passes before Blann comes from wherever he was hiding and slams into my face. “You guys are so cute!”

Rolling my eyes, I grab my phone and quickly text Aunt Claire that I was okay and to be safe. Not waiting for a response, I shut it off before turning to Blann.

“Ready to kick butt?” he asks excitedly.

I grin as I bring my bracelet eye level. “Let’s go. Blann, ears up!”

Leaping up to the roof, I race across the city, shocked at the state of everything. The number of monsters seemed to have doubled since the broadcast and I didn’t have the first idea about how to deal with it.

_Good thing Ladybug is the de facto leader,_ I think as I spot the hero, her and Chat talking down below.

“Quite the party going on,” I joke as I land next to them, glancing around to survey the destruction once more.

“You two are just in time,” Ladybug says, snapping the propeller off the hat.

The monster disappears in a small burst of smoke, Chat asking, “How’d you know to destroy the monsters hat?”

“She’s just that good, Chat,” I say, throwing my arm around her with a proud grin.

“But no akuma’s been released,” he states, not even looking bothered at how close I was to Ladybug.

_Not that that makes me incredibly happy or anything…_

She shoves me away with a roll of her eyes. “No, ‘cause that monster was a clone. These Sapotis multiply every time they eat. To get to the akuma, we’ll have to destroy the original one, the very first one Hawk Moth akumatized.”

Chat looks _thrilled_. “So that means we’ve gotta catch ‘em all?”

I nod in agreement. “Yeah, it seems a little...tough?” I offer lightly.

“C’mon, I thought you two liked a good challenge!” she says with a grin, causing Chat and I to groan in unison.

Breaking off from them, I head towards the group of goblins jumping on a car. Pumping myself up, I stretch my arms and legs before running at them. Spotting me last second as I flip over them, they’re unable to get away and I twist to grab the three monster’s hats. Landing with a grin, I quickly break the propellers off and watch them disappear with a yell.

Dodging one as it tries to cling to me, I pluck its hat off its head and break it as well. This triggers a swarm to rush at me, but I’m faster, able to deftly avoid their grabby hands while using my tonfas to snap the propellers off with a quick swing.

Nearly two dozen monsters later, they don’t seem to stop, in fact, more and more seem to take their place. Quickly ducking out of the growing fight, I follow Ladybug and Chat as we head to the bridge, though there’s also a large group of gremlins surrounding the ice cream stall.

“Hey, don’t eat the ice cream or things will get catastrophic!” Chat shouts as we all pull out our weapons.

The group charges at us and we quickly meet them halfway, though our fighting does little to lessen their numbers.

Backed against the railing, I bite my cheek as I stare at their growing group. It was impossible to destroy all of them as long as there was food available.

“We can’t destroy their hats! There’s too many of them!” Chat says, the tiny group advancing on us.

Ladybug seems to agree, activating her Lucky Charm, though the item, as usual, doesn't make any sense.

“A teapot?” Chat and I ask, glancing at each other curiously.

She looks it over. “It looks strangely familiar…”

While she’s busy thinking, the two of us focus on keeping the tiny monsters away.

“It’s weird. I can’t find anything!”

Chat glances back as I smack one of the monsters away. “Hurry up! My Kung Fu isn’t enough!”

“And I’m only so fast!” I add, barely dodging a thrown ice cream scooper.

Falling silent for a moment, Ladybug lets out a gasp. “Of course! I know someone who can help! Gotta go!”

“Right now? Can’t it wait?” Chat asks quickly and I nod in agreement.

“No, it can’t. You guys gotta trust me on this one!”

Just nodding as Chat tells her to go, we focus again on keeping the growing group away.

Quickly growing overwhelmed, I activate my Miraculous and easily dodge the monsters before grabbing Chat and hightailing it out of there.

Reaching the top of the Eiffel Tower with the blonde tucked under my arm, I glance around the untouched area. Setting him down, I knead my shoulder as I work out the last of the adrenaline cycling through me.

“You know,” Chat starts, standing wobbly as he shakes his head. “I think you’ve gotten a lot faster.”

I pause in my hopping to look at him. “You think so?” It seemed the same to me.

He nods, leaning against the railing with a queasy look. “I could barely _see_ anything, it was all just a blur…” he clutches his stomach, “ _not to mention nauseating._ ”

I hum thoughtfully but otherwise brush it aside. It didn’t feel any different to me. Lost in thought, I almost miss Chat pulling out his staff.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling someone,” he answers simply, and for a minute I panic before reminding myself there was no way he’d call me.

Until he groans my name frustratedly when no one picks up.

“I’m gonna kill him if he’s not there…” he mutters as he straightens out.

“W-Well, looks like this is where we part ways for now,” I say quickly, showing the fading rabbit on my bracelet. “I’ll meet up with you later, bye!”

Hastily leaving, I use the last of my Speed Boost to book it home. If I knew Chat, and at this point I’d like to say I did, he’d probably swing by the flower shop to make sure I kept my promise.

Swinging through my shattered balcony door, I transform back as I land on my bed. Grabbing my phone, I head downstairs to the living room, intent on looking like I was holedup like he wanted.

Reaching the 2nd floor, I turn on the news as I head to the kitchen. It was still overrun by tiny red gremlins, but every news station probably was at this point.

“Do we have any strawberries?” Blann asks tiredly, laid out on my shoulder.

I hum. “There’s strawberry cake if you want,” I offer, gesturing over to the clear container on the island counter.

I feel him perk up. “Yes, please!”

Chuckling at his enthusiasm, I cut him a small slice and set it next to me on a plate. He flies to it with newfound energy and I watch him eat while keeping an ear open for the sound of Chat’s return.

And there it was, a loud knocking coming from the window across the room.

“Can you hide?” I ask the small kwami, almost laughing at his messy face.

Nodding with a mock serious look, he disappears into one of the cabinets as I head to the window.

Pulling back the curtain, Chat’s pouting face is the first thing that greets me.

Balancing on his staff, he motions eagerly to open up. Slipping inside when I let him in, he crosses his arms with a disappointed frown.

“I called.”

“My phone was dead,” I answer quickly with a sheepish smile.

He stares at me silently before his shoulders sag with a dramatic sigh. “Seriously? Who lets their phone die?” he bemoans with a shake of his head.

“Sorry,” I offer lamely with a sheepish shrug. “I still forget to plug it in sometimes.”

Which wasn’t a lie. I woke up more than once to my phone on five percent right next to the charger.

“You’re such a grandpa sometimes,” he rolls his eyes, “lucky you have me around to keep you on your toes.”

I snort. “And yet you still like me.”

“Don’t pout. I like your weird quirks,” he coos, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around my waist. “Makes you more charming!”

“Sorry, kitty, but the only charming one here is you,” I correct, biting back the urge to run my fingers through his messy hair. He was beautiful, even amongst all the chaos.

He flushes, the urge to kiss him almost taking my breath away, and looks away. “Trust me, Trouble, you’re potent without even trying,” he mumbles.

Loud clamoring echoes from downstairs and I worriedly pull away from him. The flowers!

“I’ll distract them, so stay here,” Chat says quickly, grabbing a hold of my wrist before I could head downstairs.

For a moment I think about pulling away and rushing down there anyway, because the flower shop was Aunt Claire’s pride and joy, but I give in with a resigned sigh. Even if everything was destroyed, Ladybug’s Miraculous would fix it at the end of the day.

“Board up the door, just to be safe.” He lets go of my wrist and heads to the open window, stopping just long enough to blow me a kiss. “Don’t miss me too much, _darling~_ ”

As cheesy as it was, it still made my heart squeeze and I have to look away as he leaves.

Giving myself a few moments to cool my warm face, I let Blann know that it was okay to come out.

“You say you’re not, but you two are basically dating,” he says as he goes back to eating his cake.

I shake my head sharply. “We’re not…”

“You are,” he cuts in, humming happily through a mouthful of icing.

Leaning against the counter, I sigh loudly. “He--”

“Really likes you,” he interrupts again. “Or do you think so little of him that you think he’s just playing around?”

“You know that’s not true,” I mumble, sliding my hand against the smooth island counter. Chat wouldn’t go that far.

“Then you should just admit that he _might_ just like you as much as you like him,” he says, wiping the crumbs off his face with a satisfied look. “You’re practically all over each other anyway. So I doubt anything would change.”

I hang my head, suddenly wanting to wash my hands, to distract myself from his words. He was right, as Blann usually is, but accepting it was hard.

I mean, nothing good ever came out of loving someone.

Me being a prime example. My own mother said that my father leaving caused everything. That _I_ caused everything by being born. That he would’ve stayed if I was _better_ , less of a crybaby.

So, the reality was that, if my own parents couldn’t love me, then surely Chat couldn’t truly either.

I want to groan. I could just _hear_ my therapist, Dr. Beaumont, reprimanding me for such thoughts.

“ _No one is truly unlovable, Evan.”_

“ _The abuse your mother put you through wasn’t your fault.”_

“ _It’s okay to let yourself be loved.”_

...But was it really?

I mean, I know Aunt Claire and Madeleine love me, and I would die for them without a second thought, but Chat…? He _seemed_ to like me, but then Ladybug...

Shaking my head, I groan frustratedly while shoving away from the counter. I wasn’t close to being smart enough to untangle the twisted knot that made up my heart.

_Didn’t have the time to either._

“You ready to go?” I ask the rabbit kwami while kneading at my shoulder. Getting a nod in response, I take a deep breath before bringing my bracelet up. I could pick my brain apart later.

Reaching Chat just as he’s overwhelmed, Ladybug’s yoyo swoops down a moment before I could. Quickly helping him up as the gremlins disappear, I pull out my tonfas as more jump at us.

Batting them away as Ladybug and...another possible hero (??) join the fray.

“This is so insane! I’ve got powers and I’m fighting supervillains,” she gushes when the fight finally calms.

“Whoa! Who is this superhero friend of yours?” Chat asks. “And no offense, but I thought we were the only ones.”

Immediately recognizing the familiar large flute in her hand, the grip on my tonfas tighten as I tense up. “Who is _she?_ ” I ask sharply, Volpina’s stupid mocking face popping into my mind.

Shocked at my hostile tone, Ladybug frowns before her eyes widen in alarm. “No, no! She’s fine! I...uh...chose her myself, so you don’t have to worry! Promise!” she waves her arms wildly as she offers a nervous smile. “This is uh...um…”

“Uh...Rena Rouge!” the other girl says, before confidently correcting, “Yeah, my name is Rena Rouge!”

Nervously keeping my distance as Chat talks to her, a horrible, intrusive thought worms it’s way in my brain. _I...wasn’t being replaced, right?_ But I shake my head, because of course not! Ladybug went out of her way to say they needed me, so...it’s fine?

And then a twisted, ugly feeling of jealousy fills me when Chat kisses her hand. Though I easily curtail the worst of it. It wasn’t the first time I’ve seen him flirt with someone after all. And I should’ve known Chat would do something like that to a new, attractive female hero.

“You alright there, Lapin Blanc? Looking a little green,” Rena Rouge says, shaking off Chat’s hand as she peeks over at me.

I push my gnawing insecurities down with a grin. “I’m fine, just a little surprised is all!” If Chat wanted to flirt then who was _I_ to stop him.

“Surprised but not disappointed,” Chat slips in, arm around my shoulder to pull me closer towards the group. “I have a feeling working with you is gonna be a lot of fun!”

“Ha, me too,” I offer with a dry laugh, throwing her a peace sign. I didn’t have anything against her, but looking so much like Volpina had me a little jumpy.

A large group of Sapotis begin surrounding us, and I nearly bump into the new hero as we back up.

“We’re surrounded!” she shouts, and I have to force down a scoff. It wasn’t right of me to get angry at her just because Chat was being his normal, flirty self.

“We’re retreating!” Ladybug yells, and I shake out of my thoughts and quickly follow after her.

Leaping up to the roof of city hall, I peer down at the little gremlins trying to climb up.

“There must be thousands of them,” remarks Chat, a few feet away.

My stomach twists uncomfortably at his voice. Being upset at him wasn’t right either. The whole reason I refused to officially date him was to save myself as much future heartache as possible.

“ _Lot of good that’s doing me now,_ ” I grumble as Ladybug summons her Lucky Charm, discreetly pinching my cheek to scold myself. Chat didn’t belong to me and it was silly to get so bent out of shape just ‘cause he flirted with someone for five seconds.

Glancing over at Ladybug, with her polka-dotted unicycle in hand, I watch the climbing Sapotis with anticipation.

“Whenever you’re ready, Milady!” Chat says, and I nod in agreement before stepping forward to knock away some of the climbing Sapotis nearing the ledge.

Kicking a few off as Ladybug gathers her supplies, I rejoin the group as Rena Rouge questions Ladybug’s choice of items.

Telling the newest hero to trust her, she prepares to wheel the garbage can across Chat’s staff laid across the large gap.

Leaping ahead to get rid of the few stragglers on the other building, I hold the staff steady as the others race across to join me.

“I need you two to set everything up,” Ladybug says, speaking to Chat and Rena Rouge before turning to me, “And I need you to come with me.”

Obediently following after her, she brings us to an abandoned rickshaw.

“Think you can ride us around Paris while I get all of the Sapotis attention?”

“Why, of course, Milady,” I bow dramatically and motion to the back seat, “it would be my pleasure.”

She rolls her eyes with a snort before climbing in back and holding the traffic cone like a megaphone.

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” she shouts, voice booming through the orange cone as I pedal down the road. “Sapoti-Land, the amusement park of the future, is about to open! Mischief of all sizes are permitted in Sapoti-Land! All-you-can-eat desserts! Fountains of orange juice! Big-kid movies and video games!”

“Wow! Sounds enticing,” I laugh, noticing the growing interest of the Sapotis around us.

Ladybug smirks. “Oh, it’s _very_ enticing.”

Then, as if to prove her point, a giant illusion of a theme park lights up the night sky.

_At least I knew Rena Rouge was on our side now._

“Follow me and I’ll take you to Sapoti-Land, where there’s no bedtime, and where everything goes!” She tosses the cone aside and points ahead. “Right into the alley.”

Grinning at her, I speed up and dive forward out of the rickshaw just as it gets stuck in the entrance.

“Phase two, Chat Noir. Now!” she shouts up to the roof as she motions me to join them before rushing down the alley.

Leaping up to join the other two as Ladybug continues to goad them into following her, Chat shoves his staff into the middle of the wheel.

“All the Sapotis are in the alley. Phase three,” he says with a nod.

Rena Rouge looks doubtful. “Is this really gonna work?”

“Don’t worry. Sometimes it’s even more absurd than this.”

“A _lot_ more,” I add with a small grin before jumping away to grab the garbage can as Chat disappears into the alleyway to place the trap.

Grabbing the green can and landing back next to Rena, Chat also appears and shouts down at Ladybug, letting her know we were ready.

The trap works as planned, a steady stream of propeller hats getting flung up and into the garbage can Rena and I were holding. Just as the last hat lands in the bin, her illusion disappears and Chat uses his Cataclysm on them.

As Ladybug starts purifying the akuma Rena tugs me closer with a small frown.

“Uh, Chat told me a little about what happened with that Volpina chick,” she starts and I freeze. Chat did what now? “And I just want you to know that I’d never try and trick you or anything! Or do...whatever else she did! I’m not too sure! But anyway, I just want to help! Swear!”

Guilt eats away at me as her earnest eyes and I huff quietly. Directing my anger at her was childish, but especially so since she was being so nice about it.

“It’s fine,” I sigh out, grinning as I ruffle her pulled back hair. “You’re already way nicer than she was, so don’t worry.”

“Aw,” Chat coos, interrupting the moment to throw his arm around my shoulder, “you two gonna kiss and make up now?”

Face burning at both his teasing and the feeling of him pressed up against me, I mask my embarrassment by elbowing his side. “No picking on the new kid or the only thing you’ll be kissing is the ground,” I say, glaring jokingly at him as he backs away with his hands up.

Sticking around this time after the ladybugs sweep through the street, I join in on the fistbump before we jump down to the now normal girls.

_So it was Alya’s sisters who were akumatized…_

“Uh...gotta get going, um, before I transform back,” Rena says with a nervous laugh.

Chat doesn’t miss his chance. “Looking forward to fighting with you again, Rena Rouge,” he says with a bow.

I elbow him with a roll of my eyes. “Tone it down or she won’t come around anymore, kitty.”

“Please, if anything it’ll get her to come around _more_.”

Giving him a look, I wave briefly to the newest hero as she says her goodbyes.

“I’ll join you,” states Ladybug before glancing back at me and Chat. “Can you two make sure the girls get back home safely?”

The both of us nod and head over to the confused twins.

“Okay, who’s gonna tell me where you live?”

\------

Dropping the kids off with minimal difficulty (they wouldn’t stop squirming and yelling), I drop down into my bed with a sigh.

“Kids are exhausting sometimes,” I groan, stretching my hands high above my head.

“You know you love ‘em. Just admit you’re a softie,” Blann giggles as he lies on my forehead.

“I’ll admit nothing.”

He just giggles again before a familiar knocking comes from my balcony door.

“Looks like someone can’t stay away,” he teases as he goes to hide.

Heaving myself up with a sigh, the faint outline of Chat is visible through the glass. My stomach was still in knots and I almost debated pretending not to see him, but he lets himself in before I could do anything.

“Hey, Evan,” he greets, though his happy mood drops when he takes a good look at me. “Is something wrong?”

I wince, tugging at the sleeve on my hoodie anxiously as I look down. Stupid night vision. “I’m fine,” I answer stiffly, cringing at how obviously fake it sounded.

“Come on, Trouble, you know you can tell me anything,” he says, pulling my desk chair over and sitting down, close enough that our knees touch.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I can’t bring myself to just straight up tell him I was jealous. “Uh...t-that new hero is really pretty, isn’t she?”

“You’ve heard about her already?” he asks, surprised. “But yeah, I guess.”

“Yeah…” I chuckle dryly, biting my cheek hard enough to sting.

He suddenly gasps, sounding all too excited as he says, “You’re _jealous_ aren’t you!”

“W-What?” I stutter, face flushing as I jerk my head up to look at him.

With a laugh he flings himself at me, arms wrapping around my neck as I fall back into my bed. Rolling us to the side, his arms stay wrapped around me as we stare at each other, noses almost brushing.

“You don’t need to worry about her,” he says with a large smile.

I glance away as my ears burn. “You...kissed her hand…”

He shifts closer, eyes softening as they bore into my own. “I’ve done a lot more with you.”

My face warms in embarrassment as my hand hesitantly rests on his hip.

“But I’ll make you a deal,” he begins, smirking mischievously. “Agree to go on another date with me and I’ll cut down the flirting. Save it _all_ up just for you.”

Swallowing more embarrassment, I nod before shifting the small distance and kissing him. It was impossible _not to_ with him being so close.

He makes a noise of surprise but doesn’t pull away.

Forcing my eyes to remain open, I tighten my grip on his hip to ground myself as I watch his own flutter close. I could waste hours just watching him. Breathing him in.

With his arms tightening around me, my hand trails up his back and tangles in his hair as my own eyes finally close. His lips were soft and felt _right_ pressed up against mine. Pressing closer, I hum contently at the warm feeling in my chest.

Unable to stop a grin from forming, Chat pulls away, a little breathless. “What’re you grinning about?”

My smile softens and I slip my hand out of his hair to caress his cheek. “I never thought I’d be able to kiss you is all,” I say, and it was the truth. If anyone told me I’d kiss Chat, and have him kiss back, I’d call them crazy. But here I was.

“You...you’re embarrassing!” he huffs, cheeks red as he shoves me away and sits up.

Propping myself up with a small laugh, I stare at his back as he grumbles to himself.

I loved Chat. That much was painfully obvious. The longer he was around me, the more obvious it was that I wouldn’t be able to stay content with just being friends. But I wouldn’t ask for more, or expect anything from him. I’d take whatever he’d give me. Even if that meant getting my heart broken in the end.

Before I could do something stupid, like acknowledge we were basically dating, my phone rings and I scramble up to grab it.

Seeing it was my aunt, I prepare myself for her endless worry before answering. Like expected, she hits me with a thousand worried questions but I take it in stride. Answering here and there, I shift my gaze to Chat as he stands.

“I better get home,” he whispers, before boldly taking my left hand and purposefully kissing the large burn scar on the back. “To make up for Rena Rouge,” he says softly, winking at me before disappearing out the balcony door.

Unable to process Aunt Claire’s words, I stare at my scarred hand, stunned, before tears gather in my eyes and I laugh breathlessly.

_I was going to get my heart absolutely shattered when he realized I wasn’t good enough._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of nice datey stuff just because Evan deserves it (though he can't be completely happy since I'm a horrible person) but he's slowly getting more and more okay with labeling what they are. And yes, Evan is definitely the type to cry watching movies. He's just emotional okay? 
> 
> Next chapter (The Gorilla) will be more focused on him and Adrien (with Marinette third-wheeling) so get ready for general awkwardness between the three.
> 
> And lastly, the art --> [A nice late night movie](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/633238677141798912/evans-definitely-the-type-to-cry-during-movies)


	14. The Gorilla

_Nervously picking at the food on my plate, I keep my eyes trained down._

“ _Is there a problem?”_

_I jump at the sudden question and frantically shake my head._

“ _Then why aren’t you eating?” she demands and I swallow numbly and open my mouth before she cuts me off. “you don’t like my cooking? Is that it?”_

_I quickly look up and shake my head again._

“ _Don’t lie to me!” she slams her fist on the table and I flinch as my heartbeat picks up. “I make dinner for you and you can’t even eat any of it!?” she sneers and I tense as she stands._

_Trembling in my seat, I grab my pants and bite back the nauseous feeling bubbling up as the silence stretches on._

_Suddenly she grabs my arms and yanks me out of my seat, dragging me to the stove. Turning in on, it quickly heats to bright red and I almost throw up as I desperately try to break out of her hold. Easily overpowering me, she brings my hands towards the blistering heat and I start sobbing as I struggle even harder to get away._

_No, no, please, nO, NO—NO—_

“Evan!”

I jerk awake at the panicked shout and look around wildly, almost falling to the ground as I scramble away.

“Evan, it's okay! We’re home, remember? With Aunt Claire and Madeleine?”

_Who??_ I didn’t... _Aunt Claire and Madeleine._ My aunt Claire and my little cousin Madeleine. I lived with them. In _Paris_. Away from my hometown Saarbrücken, and more importantly _away from her._

Trying to blink away the tears gathering in my eyes as I shudder, a feeling of disgust shakes me to my core.

It’s been so long since I’ve had a tangible, _real_ nightmare. So why now? _Why now? Everything was going so well so why did I have to remember? I didn’t like remembering. It made me feel sick and defenseless and wrong and...and...._

Blann cuddles into my cheek, shushing me softly while an occasional sniffle momentarily stalls him.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I let out a deep, stuttered breath and almost collapse into myself. Things were okay now, I had people that actually cared about me and _liked_ me. So I was fine, I shouldn’t-- _wouldn’t--_ let a painful memory destroy me. I was better now.

_I was better now._

“You okay?” Blann asks softly, his downcast ears barely visible out of the corner of my eye.

Breathing deeply, I wipe at my eyes. “Yeah,” I answer, acutely aware of how rough my voice sounded.

Reaching for my phone, I turn it on and groan at the time. I didn’t exactly have plans but I hated that I wasted so much time on a stupid nightmare. Shuddering, I scrub at my eyes as I drop my phone on bed with a sigh.

“I need to go for a run.”

Quickly slipping on my running clothes--black shorts, blue leggings and my thin, blue sweatshirt--Blann kisses my nose before hiding in my drawstring bag as I grab it. Sweeping my bangs off my forehead with a headband, I pull on my black fingerless gloves and head downstairs.

Filling up my water bottle in the kitchen, Madeleine watches from her spot on the couch curiously.

“Going somewhere?”

“For a run,” I answer as I slip on my running shoes. “I should be back soon.”

Giving her a quick goodbye, I head out the door and down to the flower shop. Stopping long enough to tell Aunt Claire my plans, I leave out the back, only pausing long enough to switch on some music and put in my headphones.

I easily fall into a nice rhythm as my hectic thoughts quiet and I slowly relax.

Head empty, I eventually slow to a stop as I spot the Arc de Triomphe. Taking a quick drink of my water, I glance around at the nearly endless amount of billboards dedicated to Adrien’s new perfume. Apparently it was a hit, because you couldn’t go to feet without spotting another advert. It was a little excessive, and truthfully odd, but it was no doubt flying off the shelves.

Shaking my head, I get ready to continue my run before I spot Adrien running from a mob of people across the street. Seeing his panicked face quickly kicks me into action and I run towards him, grabbing his hand and hastily pulling leading him around the corner.

“You alright?” I ask, glancing back at him while continuing to pull him forward.

“Yeah, you really saved me there,” he says, stumbling to keep up with my pace.

I shake my head. “Don’t thank me yet.”

The crowd’s yelling growing closer, I let out a silent curse before ducking into the cramped alley we almost pass. Shoving Adrien’s back against the wall, I quietly hush him as the excited crowd rushes past us.

Waiting a few moments for the last one to trail away, my shoulders relax as I sigh in relief. “That was close,” I whisper before pulling away with a small laugh. “Never knew you were _this_ popular.”

Face a bright red, he refuses to meet my gaze as he grumbles, “Yeah, it sucks.”

I smile sympathetically. “You can hide out at my place if you want,” I offer.

He looks up, eyes wide. “Really?”

“Yeah,” I shrug, “Aunt Claire’s been bugging me about inviting you over again anyway.”

“Uh, great, I mean, yeah. I’d love to.” He flushes with a large smile.

I grin lightly before motioning further down the alley. “Follow me, I know a shortcut.”

Leading him confidently through the different alleys, we end up across from the park and I cautiously peek out into the street.

“I think we’re safe for now,” I say as I step out into the open.

Adrien follows after me. “Man, you really know you’re way around, Evan.”

I knead at my shoulder with a warm face. “It’s nothing. I just hate crowds enough to know all some shortcuts,” I answer with an embarrassed smile.

“It’s still pretty amazing,” he says warmly.

Growing more embarrassed, I laugh lightly before freezing when at the sound of excited clamoring down the road.

“We better go before they spot us, “ Adrien says quickly as he grabs my hand and pulls me in the opposite direction.

Crossing the street, we round the corner and Adrien bumps into Marinette.

With a shocked yelp, she steps back and I notice her still wearing her pajamas. “Adrien! Evan!”

“You live near here. Can we hide out at your place for a little bit?” he pleads, hand tightening anxiously in mine.

Marinette flushes as she stutters. “Uh, at my place? You? Hide out? U-Uh, what’s going on?”

Flinching at the loud yells of the excited crowd, they barrel down the road, almost missing us, until one yells, “There he is!” and points at us.

“Come with me!” Marinette says quickly, Adrien pulling me along as he follows after her into the park.

Hiding inside the dry fountain, he pulls me down, almost on top of him, and I hold my breath as the group stampedes past us. Relaxing as the last of their voices fade, I sit up and knead at my shoulder.

“Thank you for saving us,” Adrien says to Marinette. “People are going crazy over this ad.”

“A little ridiculous if you ask me,” I sigh with a shake of my head.

He snorts. “You’re telling me.”

“You starred in an ad? I had no idea!” Marinette laughs nervously and I give her a look. “That’s awesome!”

“I don’t know about that,” he says softly. “In fact, it’s really quite...embarrassing?”

She flushes and tries to cover her pajama clad body as she bolts up. “Hey! All good now. I’d better get going!”

“Me too,” I agree, though I’m pulled back down by a wide-eyed Adrien.

Noticing a familiar silver car drive by, I realize he must’ve snuck away from home again.

“Isn’t that your bodyguard?” Marinette asks.

“Actually,” Adrien peeks out from behind me bashfully, “I snuck out without permission. I’m supposed to be at home right now and--”

A camera goes off and I whip around to glare at the person responsible.

“Adrien and his friends in the fountain!” the man says excitedly, typing away on his phone with a grin.

Gritting my teeth, I stand and take a step towards him. “Hey! You--”

Hands grabbing both my arms stop me from doing something stupid.

“Don’t,” Marinette pleads, gripping my wrist worriedly.

“Yeah, it’s not worth it,” Adrien agrees with a nod, holding my other wrist tightly.

I furrow my brows. “But he can’t just…” I let out a frustrated groan at their pleading looks, “fine, let’s just go before we’re found again.”

Glowering at the stranger as we hurry out of the park, we end up in the subway, luckily devoid of people.

“I’m sorry I got you guys in this crazy mess,” Adrien pants, hands on his knees as he catches his breath.

“It’s fine,” I say as I focus on slowing my racing pulse. “I wanted to help you, so I did. I’m sure it’s the same for Marinette, right?” I cast a knowing look at the flustered girl.

“Y-Yeah! Help me! I mean you! I mean…” she shakes her head to collect herself, “Will things be okay between you and your father?”

_Well, at least she spoke a full sentence…_

“How could anything bad happen with my Marinette Lucky Charm?”

Smiling at the flushed, dumbstruck look on her face as Adrien pulls out the charm she gave him, my phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out with a frown.

‘ _Get outta there! This is Marinette’s chance to be alone with Adrien!!’_

Eyes widening, I stare at Alya’s message. I really was being the third-wheel, wasn’t I? Being alone with Adrien was something Marinette definitely needed to make progress.

“I should probably go,” I offer, sliding my phone back in my pocket.

“What? Why?” Adrien and Marinette question, both panicked.

I pause before quickly saying, “They would probably find us faster with me around. Since they know we’re all together and everything…”

“Uh, actually, I was planning to--”

An excited scream echoing from the other platform cuts him off, and a whole new crowd forms as dozens of cameras flashes go off.

Stepping in front of the two of them, I glare at the hysterical group angrily. Didn’t they see how ridiculous they were being? No wonder Mr. Lacroix always made snide comments about paparazzi.

“We can’t stay here!” Adrien says worriedly, grabbing my hand along with Marinette's, who looked like she was on cloud nine the moment their fingers touched. Pulling us towards the stairs, I nearly trip as he does a 180 at the sight of his bodyguard waiting. Though the other stairs aren’t an option as they’re quickly flooded with the group from earlier, weird cutout guy leading the pack.

Tensing up as they rush at us, I’m one hundred percent ready to fight if needed. But turns out it wasn’t necessary, as Adrien shoves me and Marinette into an empty car of the train.

Almost falling, I steady myself and the girl next to me as Adrien slips in just before the doors close.

“That was close,” I sigh, kneading roughly at my stinging right shoulder. Being yanked around so much was making it a little sore.

“You guys okay?” Adrien asks, eyeing Marinette and I with concern.

Waving off his concern as Marinette stumbles and stutters through a response, I roll my shoulder with a wince. I’d have to ice it when I got home.

“Are you sure, Evan?” he pushes, crowding in my space with a worried frown.

“I’m fine, Adrien,” I say with a small smile. “I just have a bad shoulder, nothing major.”

“I didn’t make it worse, did I? You know, by yanking you around and everything.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s been hurting since this morning,” I lie smoothly, not wanting him to feel guilty. “So what should we do now?”

Adrien sighs as he sits down. “I don’t know...it’s never been this bad before.”

Frowning at his morose mood, I pull off my drawstring bag and take out my water bottle. “Here,” I offer it to him, “have a drink and then we can all think of some way to get away from everyone.”

Taking it was a small blush, he thumbs the lid thoughtfully. “There’s a movie theatre not too far from Concorde we could hide in,” he offers after a small pause.

“That could work,” Marinette nods, “it’s dark and no one would be able to recognize us.”

“I didn’t bring my wallet,” I say with a twinge of embarrassment. After all, I wasn’t planning on doing anything except going for a run.

Adrien swallows his gulp of water and shakes his head. “Don’t worry! I can pay for you.”

I frown. I really didn’t want him wasting money on me. “Are you sure? I could probably just sneak away…”

“No!” he shouts quickly, water sloshing out on my water bottle in his hands as he jumps up. “I mean, I was actually planning on asking...”

The train stops, a roaring crowd masking whatever he was going to say as the doors open. Almost blinded by the camera flashes, I grit my teeth and roughly elbow my way through the hysterical group. I disliked crowds on a good day, so needless to say I _hated_ these people.

Glaring heatedly at everyone that even _tries_ to reach for Adrien, I almost tear the phone out of a random woman’s hand that gets too close.

Managing to break through the group, Adrien and Marinette follow close behind as I angrily stomp up the stairs. I really was two seconds away from fighting the next person that thought it was okay to invade my friend’s privacy.

“ _Aasgeiern,_ ” I mutter darkly, bristling at the feeling of dozens of eyes on us. “They’re all a bunch of vultures.” Glaring harshly at someone as they pull out their phone, I quickly pull the two into an alley with a frown.

“We’re too noticeable,” I say, kneading my shoulder with an annoyed look. People weren’t even this bad with Ladybug.

Adrien makes a face as he fiddles with my water bottle still in his hands. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault,” I say with a shake of my head. “I like hanging out with you, _Depp--_ idiots are the problem, not you.”

His face reddens as he smiles. “I like hanging out with you too. Maybe...maybe next time I can just go to your house…” he trails off hopefully and I have to resist the urge to ruffle his hair like a child.

“My door’s always open.”

“How about disguises?” Marinette offers suddenly.

I blink before humming thoughtfully. That sounded like a good idea. “But what could we wear?”

“Uh...someone could wear this!” she darts out from the alley and grabs the helmet off the motorcycle.

“Is that okay?” Adrien asks with a small frown.

“When everything calms down we can return it!”

I make a face. “But is it really that sanitary?”

“It’ll have to be,” he answers as he hands me my water bottle to grab the hemet.

“And I have my towel and goggles!” Marinette says as she pulls them out of her bag. “And Evan…”

“He could take off his sweatshirt and headband. That _should_ be enough.”

Sighing quietly, I slip off the items and stuff everything in my bag. Left with my black, long-sleeve compression shirt, I fumble with my messy hair self-consciously. It was bad on a normal day, so it was probably a birds nest now.

With a giggle Marinette steps forward. “I can fix your hair for you, Evan.”

Thinking for a moment, I nod with an embarrassed smile before bending down a little.

Though Adrien steps in just as her fingers barely brush my hair. “Don’t worry, Marinette, I can do it. It’ll be easier since he’s not that much taller than me.”

She steps back with a nervous squeak, probably flustered at how close they were. “O-Of course! Go ahead, Adrien!” she stutters as she spins around, quickly busing herself with wrapping her own hair up in her towel.

Eyeing Adrien suspiciously as he smiles a little _too_ naturally, his fingers carefully fix the tangled mess that is my hair. Enjoying the light brushes, I hum contently as my eyes close. No wonder Chat liked it when I messed with his hair.

Almost forgetting the original purpose of doing this, I tiredly open my eyes as he pulls away. “Thanks,” I breathe out with a loose smile.

He almost chokes, spluttering out a hasty “you’re welcome” before closing the visor on his helmet.

Taking a moment to shake off the last of my daze, I straighten out as the three of us slip out of the alley and make our way to the theatre.

Surprisingly the disguises work, no one bothering us as we head down the street to our destination. Even the person working the booth only gives us a cursory look as we buy the tickets, but otherwise doesn’t say anything as we head inside.

Entering the darkened room, I make sure Marinette gets to sit beside Adrien as we sit in one of the aisle.

“Good thinking, Marinette,” he says as we sit down. “Without the disguises we’d never have made it here.”

“No, it was your idea to duck into this dark theatre, remember? _That_ was smart!”

“Actually, this is where I was heading when those crazy fans suddenly showed up,” he says, glancing over her to meet my eyes. “Thanks to you guys, my father won’t find out.”

“Wait, you aren’t allowed to go to the movies?” she asks, surprised.

“I am, with my bodyguard or Nathalie, of course.”

“You snuck away that one day too, didn’t you? When you crashed into me outside my house?” I ask, leaning closer to Marinette so I wouldn’t have to be as loud.

“You mean when I gave you a bloody nose? But yeah, I wanted to see a movie without my bodyguard breathing over my shoulder.” He leans back in his seat with a sigh. “I’m not sure my father would have allowed me to see this particular movie though.”

Marinette has a moment of panic. “Oh, no! Please don’t tell me it’s a horror movie. I _hate_ horror movies!”

I barely hide my chuckle as I grin in amusement. _How cute._ Of course she’d be afraid of scary movies.

“No, don’t worry! It’s a very rare movie I’ve never been able to see,” Adrien says.

“Too bad. It could’ve been an excuse to cuddle close to him,” I whisper teasingly into the dark-haired girl's ear, who immediately blushes from head to toe.

“It’s not on the internet and my father’s hidden the only DVD somewhere at home. You see...my mother played the leading role.”

I want to pat his shoulder, or offer some form of comfort, but I settle on smiling lightly when his glances at me.

“It’s only being shown once, today, in this theatre. I couldn’t talk to my father about it, so I decided to sneak out, unnoticed, and...” he glances back at me before looking down at Marinette. “Do you mind if we switch seats real quick?”

Her expression probably mirrored my own surprised one as she quickly nods and clumsily changes places with him.

Catching her eye as she settles in the seat, I give her an apologetic look which she returns with a smile and shrug.

“I, uh, was actually going to invite you, you know, before the crazy crowds and everything. But...I’m glad it seemed to work out anyway,” he says with an embarrassed grin.

“Really?” I question, surprised at his admittance.

“Yeah…” he laughs awkwardly, almost going to scratch the back of his head before remembering the helmet. “Last time an akuma attack interrupted us so I thought maybe we could, uh, see this one together. To make up for it.”

A warm smile spreads across my face as I process his words. “Then I owe you another cooking lesson,” I say happily. “ _Nürnberger Rostbratwurst_ if I remember correctly.”

Grinning, he leans towards me before the lights completely dim and he pulls back so abruptly that I’m worried he hurt himself. “It’s, uh, it’s a date then! Er, a hangout! Between friends...buddies...just some pals….” trailing off, he turns to face the screen with a nervous laugh.

A little confused by his mumbling, I lean back in my seat and focus on the opening scene of Adrien’s mom walking in the rain.

And then a camera flash had to ruin it all.

Leaning up with narrowed eyes, I spot a guy down the aisle with his phone out. Enraged, I climb behind my seat and march over to him, intent to beat the absolute crap out of him. He seems to understand that, because he cowers as I pull him up by the collar and I’m suddenly hit with a memory of grade school.

_Slamming my fist into the boy’s face over and over, I scoff at the sound of him crying._

“ _What’s the Matter, Kurt?” I sneer as I grab a fistful of his hair, “You don’t have anything else to say?”_

_His lower lip quivers and tears run down his bloody, bruising face._

_Another surge of anger fills my chest. I didn’t even hit him as hard as Mama hits me. What a wimp._

_Suddenly yanked back by my shirt, I snarl as arms wrap around my shoulders. “Let me go!” I yell angrily as I claw at whatever I can reach._

_My eyes meet Kurt’s briefly and my anger flares once again. He was happy about this, wasn’t he? He wanted me to get in trouble! He was always mean to me and called me dirty just so Mama would get mad at me!_

“-van! Come on, I don’t want you to get in trouble!”

Jerked back to reality, I blink confusedly before letting go of the strangers collar. What…? I shake my head as I let myself get pulled back to our seats by Adrien as a hysterical crowd quickly surrounds us.

Shielding my eyes from the bright flashes, the pit in my stomach grows as I struggle to breathe. This was too much, too fast. I should’ve stayed home. I should’ve--

A hand grabs mine tightly, and it’s then I realized I was shaking like a leaf. Glancing at Adrien’s own panicked face, I look around the oblivious crowd. All we wanted to do was watch a movie with his mom in it.

The ground quakes only a second before the roof of the theatre is ripped off, a large hand grabbing the blonde and almost crushing my arm in the process.

Shoving myself out of the way of the panicked crowd, I stare up at the large blue gorilla anxiously. Glancing around as people throw things at the giant ape, I rush out of the room and slip into the empty bathroom.

“You ready?” I ask Blann, quickly transforming when he nods.

Leaving the theatre through the huge hole in the ceiling, I easily catch up to the gorilla and follow after him as I fall into step with Ladybug. “He has Adrien,” I say in lue of a greeting.

“I know. Have you gotten in contact with Chat Noir?” she asks as the gorilla quickly scales the tall office building.

Shaking my head, I grab Ladybug’s hand as she throws her yoyo and swings us up to the roof. Quickly pulling out my tonfas when we reach the top, the gorilla dodges both of our attacks as we land.

Avoiding a swing of his open palm, I balance on his back as Ladybug clings to his arm. Managing to throw her off, his hand reaches back to try and grab me but I slip out of the way. Keeping him busy while Ladybug activates her Lucky Charm, I trip up and he grabs me before also grabbing Ladybug as well.

Smooshed up against her, I try my best to lean away to give her a little space as the gorilla smashes his fists together, unable to do anything.

“I’m so sorry, you guys,” Adrien says.

“Don’t worry,” Ladybug placates. “Just let me try to manoeuvre this thing…”

A polka-dotted RC helicopter comes zooming towards us, passing by the gorilla’s face before actually beating him up. Letting us go in his frustration, my relief is short-lived as he snatches me back up before I could get away.

As I struggle uselessly, Ladybug wraps her yoyo around his thumb on the fist holding Adrien before disappearing over the edge and reappearing on the other side.

Ducking between his legs, she pops behind him and pulls the string of her yoyo taught. “Let go of Adrien right now!” She pulls back his thumb and quickly yells at Adrien to jump. “You have to trust me!” she assures.

And then he jumps.

A little taken aback, my stomach drops when Ladybug’s scooped up in the gorilla’s now free hand.

There were a million things I wanted to say to her, her choice of rescuing him being the first, but my mind was racing too fast to form a single word. _And she called me impulsive!_

Struggling again to break free, I almost try to bite the large fist around me before the two of us are suddenly let go. Sailing through the air, Ladybug shouts my name and I nod tersely before quickly running down the side of the building. Grabbing a free-falling Adrien, I spin around and toss him up to Ladybug before kicking off the wall and landing on the other side of the crowd.

It was a rough landing, the ground actually breaking on impact, but besides an ache in my shoulder I was fine. One of the perks of being a superhero I guess.

Hearing the crowd cheer, I weave my way to the front as Ladybug and Adrien land safely in front of me.

“I just knew I could count on you, Mila...uh! Ladybug!” Adrien says with a panicked smile before one of his fans hugs him tightly.

A suspicious feeling tickles the back of my brain as I bite the inside of my cheek. Did Adrien almost call her Milady? Like Chat does? I quickly put a stop to that train of thought and groan. The only reason I was getting suspicious now was because of what Chat said the other day.

Speaking of Chat Noir…

“He’s sure taking his time,” I quip as I cross my arms, Ladybug’s earrings bleeping in warning.

“Your earrings are flashing. Is there a problem?” Adrien asks.

“It means it won’t be long before I transform back,” she explains. “But don’t worry, Lapin Blanc will protect you until Chat Noir arrives.” Before she could leave, the ground quakes as the gorilla rejoins the fight.

The crowd scattering, Adrien’s fanboy steps in front of us with his arms spread protectively. “You can leave, Ladybug! I’ll keep him at bay while Lapin Blanc gets Adrien to safety!”

“No--” she takes off his helmet and puts in on Adrien-- “I want you to find a safe place to hide. Lapin?”

Nodding, I sweep Adrien up before activating my Speed Boost and warning him to close his eyes before running down the street.

Easily losing the lumbering giant, I come to a stop on one of the roofs and sit the blonde down. “I think we’re okay for now,” I say, hopping foot to foot as I stretch out my shoulders. “You alright though, space cadet?”

“Haha,” he rolls his eyes as he takes off his helmet, “I’m fine. Just a little dizzy.”

“You want to lie down for a second?” I offer, glancing around our quiet surroundings. There wasn’t much I could do without Ladybug or Chat around.

He shakes his head. “I’ll be fine.”

I give him a once over but drop it. “I’m not much of a tactile fighter so it would be best to just keep you away from the villain until we can meet up with Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

He looks away with a frown, but otherwise doesn't say anything.

“So...stil have a crush on Ladybug?” I ask after a pause, almost choking on a laugh at his shocked face. “Don’t try and deny it, Mr. Model, it was pretty obvious.”

His face reddens as he pouts childishly. “The only thing I’ll say is that I like someone else now,” he grumbles, arms crossed.

I pause in my hopping. “ _Really?_ Who?” I ask, surprise clearly coating my voice.

“I...you don’t know them!” He puts the helmet back on in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

“C’mon, tell me a bit about them.”

His blush is still noticeable as he shyly says, “They’re really nice and have the greatest smile.”

“And?” I press, secretly hoping it was finally Marinette.

“Uh...and, and they have the cutest laugh. Just hearing it makes my heart skip.”

A thrill of excitement races up my spine. That sounded a lot like Marinette!

“Did you get to hang out with them or anything today?” I ask, oddly specific, but I was pushing.

He smiles warmly as he looks down at the ground. “Yeah…”

I have to bite my tongue to contain my excitement. It really was Marinette! Which meant that they felt the same! _Finally!_

In the midst of my mental happy dance, my tonfa goes off and I calm myself before I answer.

“Hey, Ladybug, figure anything out yet?”

“I still can’t get a hold of Chat, but I need you to meet me at the subway station with Adrien. I have a plan and Adrien needs to be the bait,” she says before quickly explaining the rest of the plan.

“But he’s not…” I sigh audibly with a frown, “we’ll be there.”

Hanging up, I scratch the side of my head as I face Adrien. “How do you feel about being put in danger yet again?”

Turns out he was surprisingly okay with it, and I quickly get us to the subway station.

“Still no answer?” I ask when I land, setting the dizzy blonde down.

“No,” she shakes her head, “and we really need his cataclysm for this to work.”

“What if Chat Noir doesn’t show up?” Adrien asks.

Ladybug and I give each other looks before we both confidently say, “He will.”

“Yeah...you’re right. I’m sure he’ll be here,” he agrees after a small pause.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Model, I’ll swoop in before a single hair on your head can be harmed,” I state with a grin, ruffling his hair before leaping up to the roof to hide. My job was to get him out of there as soon as Chat showed up. Though a tiny, minute part of my brain was still eyeing the blonde a little suspiciously.

Keeping my ears open for the sounds of the giant gorilla as Adrien sets the car alarms off, the ground quakes and I sneakily peer around the chimney. Glancing around for Chat as I get ready to spring into action, the pit forming in my stomach disappears when I spot him.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” he taunts the giant villain, and a wave of relief washes over me. Dodging the large ape’s fist, he jumps down in front of Adrien. “Don’t worry, Adrien. I won’t let him touch a hair on your head!”

See? I was being stupid, even entertaining the idea that Adrien could ever be Chat Noir.

“Have fun, kitty,” I say as I dart by and sweep Adrien up. Quickly hiding him further down the street as Chat keeps the gorilla’s attention, my bracelet bleeps warningly as I set him down. “Stay put, okay?” I cast one more look at the helmet wearing blonde before rushing off to find somewhere to transform back.

Slipping into a quiet alley, I catch Blann in my open hands. After promising him some strawberries later, he tiredly flies into my drawstring bag and I step back on to the street. Watching the ladybugs fly through the city as I knead my aching shoulder, I take a moment to scroll through my unread messages.

They all were from Alya, ranging from _What’s going on with Marinette and Adrien?!_ to teasing at how angry I looked in the pictures posted online.

Not even wanting to see them, I start the trek back home while messaging Adrien and Marinette if they were alright. Just as I send the first text, I notice said blonde talking to the weird fan from earlier.

Pocketing my phone, I narrow my eyes as I head over to them. “Everything alright?” I ask tensely, not bothering to hide my hostility as I eye the darker haired boy.

“Oh, Evan!” Adrien is surprised. “Yeah, everything’s fine. What are you doing here?”

“I was messaging you to make sure you were okay,” I answer simply, crossing my arms as I continue to stare down at his fan.

“W-Well I better get going!” the dark-haired boy says nervously, clutching the cardboard cutout of Adrien’s head tightly as he basically runs away.

“Was he bothering you?” I ask, finally looking at the blonde now that we were alone.

“What? No, no! He’s, uh, actually an okay dude, so don’t worry.”

I purse my lips, seriously doubting his words but don’t push it, instead sighing out, “If you say so…”

“Trust me,” he says with a smile.

I make a noncommittal noise as I roll my shoulder. Adrien was too nice. “Want to walk home with me?” I offer in lieu of a proper response.

His smile widens as his face reddens. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Grinning as we head down the street, I’m just happy that his fanclub seems to have dispersed, people only now beginning to emerge out of hiding.

“You know…” I start out casually, though completely serious, “I would’ve beat him up if you asked.”

“ _Evan!_ ”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot of Chat Noir, but some nice, fluffy Adrien and Evan stuff. I feel like the blondes a bit obvious about his feelings at his point, but luckily Evan's dumb and Marinette's blinded by love lol
> 
> And this chapter's art --> [Evan's running gear](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/633902213033558016/evan-just-moments-before-his-day-turns-disastrous)


	15. Captain HardRock

Almost tripping over a piece of junk as I heave a bulging box up off the ground, I nearly avoid bumping into Marinette while carrying it over to the others. Apologizing to her, I actually _do_ bump into someone as I turn, sending them crashing to the ground.

“Nathanael! I’m so sorry!” I say quickly, setting the box down as I help him up.

“N-No, it’s my fault! I wasn’t watching where I was going,” he says, laughing nervously as he blushes.

I frown worriedly. “Still...did you get hurt at all? I bumped into you pretty hard…”

Quickly shaking his head, he brushes his bangs back with a small smile. “I’m tougher than I look.”

“I’m glad,” I state, grinning lightly down at him before picking up the discarded box once again. Setting it with the other ones, my phone vibrates from my pocket and I smack the dust off my gloves before checking who it was.

_Adrien._

“Hello,” I greet the blonde, carefully shifting out of the way of the others. “Are you on your way yet?”

“No, I’m still waiting for my father,” he sighs despondently.

I cringe at Rose’s loud voice echoing from the microphone in her hand. “That sucks. Everyone’s excited for you to get here.”

_Especially Marinette._

“Me too. I wish I didn’t have to waste time doing this…”

“Hey, don’t worry. We’ll wait for you as long as it takes,” I offer encouragingly, smiling to myself as his chuckle crackles through the phone.

“I knew calling you would bring up my mood.”

A swell of joy bursts in my chest. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Oh,” he starts suddenly, “before I forget! Father said he would allow...”

“Hey, Evan, do you know where I should put this?” Nathanael cuts in, legs shaking as he practically caves under the weight of the heavy looking mermaid statue in his arms.

“...Is Nathanael there?” asks Adrien, though he’s muffled as I dart forward to help ease the load off the redhead.

“Uh, yeah, he came last minute,” I explain distractedly, balancing my phone in between my ear and shoulder as I look at the quaking boy with concern.

“Oh…”

“I’ve gotta go, but I’ll talk to you when you get here, okay?” I say quickly, shifting most of the statue’s weight on my knee. “Good luck with your father.”

After saying a quick goodbye, I quickly slip the phone back in my pocket before heaving the hefty object in my arms and setting it down at the edge of the stage.

“You alright?” I ask the redhead, who’s hovering nervously behind me.

“I’m sorry! I thought it wouldn’t be that heavy and...and…” he trails off, face steaming as he fumbles with his fingers.

I laugh with a small smile. “It’s fine, Nathanael. I’m pretty strong, so don’t be scared about asking me to carry something for you.”

He somehow reddens even more, mumbling something about needing to call Alix before booking it off the ship while pulling out his phone.

“Poor dude,” Alya says with a sympathetic shake of her head while holding Nino’s ladder steady. “You’re so natural it’s a little scary.”

“I’m...scary?” I ask, face falling.

“No, not like _scary_ , scary. You’re just surprisingly charming sometimes.”

“How is that scary?” I scratch the side of my head in confusion. Being charming was the opposite of being scary.

She rolls her eyes, just groaning out, “ _Boys._ ”

A worried Marinette joins us by the ladder before I could question her further. “He’s not here yet!” she bemoans, naturally talking about Adrien.

“No worries, girl. The gig hasn’t started yet!” Alya comforts.

“What if he doesn’t know Juleka’s address? Or got the day wrong? Or he’s lost?” she starts rambling with increasing panic before looking at me with begging eyes. “Did you hear anything from him? Anything at all?”

“He’s got to do something with his father,” I answer.

“Really?”

I nod. “He said he was really excited to come.”

“ _Really?_ ”

“Yes, Marinette, really,” I snicker alongside Alya as Marinette smiles embarrassingly.

Juleka’s mom suddenly appears, loudly saying, “Captain Anarka speakin’ to ya! So, how’s it comin’ along, my young pirates? Ready to celebrate the--” she gasps and adjusts her glasses-- “whatcha up to, there, matey?”

Walking right up to Marinette, she takes the box off her with a frown.

“Uh, hello, ma’am,” Marinette greets shyly. “I-I’m cleaning up for tonight! Your boat’s gonna be clean as a whistle.”

“You’re cleanin’?” she laughs hardily, tearing out the things in the box, “We never pick up in this house! Didn’t me daughter tell ya?”

I make a face as she throws everything on the ground. The only messy thing in my room was my bed.

“We like the lived-in look! We have no rules on the Liberty! Out of chaos comes creation! Messiness is life!” she shouts, throwing her hands up with another booming laugh.

Watching as she starts tearing through the other boxes, I wave goodbye to all our hard work with a solemn smile.

“Now go and be merry! Be inspired!” she shoos us away as Nino climbs down the ladder, the four of us heading to the bridge of the ship.

Looking out the window at a now calmed down Nathanael stepping back on the boat, I turn my attention to Nino as he answers his phone.

“Wow! What happened!” he asks, pausing as the other person answers. “Whoa! That’s real rough. Good luck, dude. See ya tomorrow!”

So Adrien wasn’t allowed to come after all…

Frowning, I look at a saddened Marinette before glancing at Alya and Nino. Sharing a knowing nod with the two, Nino and I slip away so the two could have a quick chat.

“I feel bad for Adrien,” I sigh sadly as we head back to the main part of the boat. “He never gets to do anything because of his father…”

“Dude, tell me about it. He’s always stuck at home,” Nino agrees with a frown.

I lean against the ship’s railing with a heavy sigh. I wish there was something we could do…I straighten up when an idea hits me. “Maybe we could, uh, stream it? I think that’s what it’s called, right? It wouldn’t be much, but it’s better than not being involved at all.”

He hums thoughtfully before grinning. “Not a bad idea, dude! Might even cheer him up!”

“You think so?”

“Totally! We can stream it from my phone. It’ll be like a front row seat!”

“What’s going on, you two?” Alya asks as she joins us.

Nino grins. “Evan suggested we livestream the gig to Adrien since he can’t be here.”

“Good thinking, Evan,” she says with raised brows.

I wave off the praise with an embarrassed cough. “Where’s Marinette?” I ask, begging for a change of subject.

“Oh, her? She went to get Juleka’s brother downstairs.”

“Alone?” I question hesitantly, glancing at the stairs leading down into the ship.

Alya rolls her eyes and pats my arm. “Oh, quit being such a worrywart. She’s fine. In fact...this is the perfect time to fess up about _you-know-who_.” She looks at me with a smirk.

My face warms as I hastily look around and hiss her name. “Alya, _be quiet!_ ”

“You-know-who?” Nino echoes with a confused scrunch of his face.

“Come on, Evan. Marinette let slip that you were with him the day we went and got ice cream.” She grins devilishly. “So give me the deets.”

“It wasn’t what it looked like! We were just…just hanging out,” I offer hastily, mentally cowering at her knowing stare.

“Who?” Nino asks.

“ _Sure_ …” she trails off before smirking. “Just admit it, _you-know-who_ are _you-know-what’s_ aren’t you?”

I balk. “ _You-know-who_ likes _you-know-who_. You know that.”

“What? _Who-knows-who?_ ” Nino asks again with growing confusion.

“I don’t know who you’re trying to fool, but this girl--” she points to herself-- “has a feeling that something’s going on with you and _you-know-who_.”

My blush worsens. There was no winning with her, was there?

“Bro...what’s even going on?”

“ _Nothing!_ Nothing,” I shake my head panickedly. “We’re not talking about _anything_. Right, Alya?”

She sighs loudly and reluctantly groans out, “ _Fine..._ ”

Offering a relieved _thank you_ , I sit on one of the cardboard boxes as a new boy carrying a guitar heads to the stage.

“Aw, come on! You dudes really aren’t going to explain anything?” Nino whines as he sits next to Alya.

I shake my head while remaining tight lipped.

“He likes someone,” Alya states casually, and I almost throttle her.

“Really?!” he yelps before quickly leaning closer and quietly whispering, “It’s not Adrien is it?”

I stare at him blankly before hiding my face in my hands. “Why does everyone think that?” I mumble, fully embarrassed.

“I was just asking, dude. ‘Cause you guys have had this sorta... _vibe..._ between you two lately.”

“Nino, _please_ …” I sigh out through my hands. “I don’t like him like that. In fact, I’m pretty sure he might like Mari--”

Quickly clamming up when said girl sits in between me and Alya, I shoot Nino a warning look as Alya asks if she was okay.

Nodding, she looks over at the guitarist with a soft smile and I glance between the two, a small pit forms in my stomach.

_Oh no._

“I’m thinking Marinette the Compass has found herself a new statue,” Alya says.

_Oh no, oh no._

“Really?” I ask, biting the inside of my cheek nervously. Just when Adrien was starting to possibly like her too…

“What? Luka? _No way!_ ” she denies quickly. “You guys are being ridiculous! Sure, he’s cool and nice and everything…” she begins to trail off before shaking her head, “but there’s only one statue that drives this compass crazy!”

Her denial doesn’t sound completely believable, but Juleka’s mom bursts into the scene before she could say any more.

“Ho, ho, sailors! Let’s give ‘em a show! Whenever you’re ready, Luka!”

As he pulls down a large sheet to expose a giant amp, Mylene offers us a handful of earplugs.

“You’re going to need these, believe me!”

Grabbing two and stuffing them in my ears, I pass the rest along as Nino pulls out his phone. Surely it couldn’t be _that_ bad, right?

But the first strum of his guitar proves just how naive I really was.

Leaning back with a wince, I rub my ringing ear as police quickly swarm the boat. With the police chief’s voice booming on the megaphone, I passively listen as they argue about the noise, only bothering to really listen when Marinette steps forward.

“Uh, maybe we could just turn the volume down a bit, Captain? Then there’d be no more problem, right?”

“No!” the woman shouts into her microphone, “Out of the question! I didn’t name my galleon _Liberty_ for nothing, you know! It’s a matter of principle! Haven’t you ever heard of freedom of speech, Roger? This is me home! I do as I want!”

I wince. Probably not the best way to word it.

The police chief tosses his megaphone to the side as he marches up to her. “Do you have a document stating that you're authorized to moor your houseboat in this location?”

“The Seine belongs to everyone!” she shoots back.

But he’s hearing none of it. “You’re not allowed to moor here without a parking permit. Which means you can’t play your concert here either! Not to mention this incredibly messy deck! Public visual disturbance,” he tears off a ticket, “and it’s too decorated.”

Handing her another ticket, she tears it up with a loud laugh, only angering him further.

“You asked for it!” he sneers, handing out ticket after ticket for the slightest inconvenience, some that she didn’t even have anything to do with.

“Wow,” I state dumbly, awestruck at the scene.

“Ditto, my man,” Nino agrees with a nod as Juleka’s mom stomps angrily up to the bridge.

“Uh, that could’ve gone better…” Nathanael mumbles, a little awkward.

I nod in agreement as I take out my earplugs, startling when black-purple like sludge sweeps over the boat. This was…!

Staring wide-eyed as the boat shifts and changes around us, I barely notice Nathanael clinging to my arm as Juleka’s now akumatized mother stands at the helm.

“Raise the mainsail, me deckhands!” the pirate themed villain shouts. “Let’s get swashbucklin’ round here!”

“What’s going on, mom?” Luka asks loudly.

“Your mom had weighed anchor, me lad! I am Captain HardRock! And today, Paris’ timbers are about to be shivered by my cannons!”

I mentally curse as I glance around the ship anxiously. There wasn’t really a chance that I could sneak away.

“Westward ho! _Liberty_ , next stop Jagged Stone, at the Eiffel Tower!” She raises her sword high as the ship begins to move. “Soon, there will only be one concert in Paris, only one music festival. We will destroy all the others! Now,” she glares down at us, “get to your instruments, sprogs, and rock those decibels!”

“Mom, please! You can’t ruin the music festival!” Luka pleads.

Marinette steps forward as well. “You can’t force people to listen to your music!”

“No way we’re playing like this!” Ivan yells, only adding to her growing anger.

“Mutiny? On my ship?” she seethes. “ _Liberty_ , seize these scallywaggers and throw ‘em down into the hold!”

Multiple chains suddenly shoot out at us, trapping me and Nathanael together alongside the others as the floor collapses, sending everyone down into the bowels of the ship.

Rolling painfully to the ground, I quickly sit up at the pained squeak that comes from the redhead trapped against my back. “You okay?” I ask him worriedly, relaxing slightly when he wheezes out an okay.

“Is anyone hurt?” Marinette’s voice rings out from the shadowed room.

Various groans sound out, but none sounding worse for wear.

Hearing Nathanael muttering panickedly to himself, I can only awkwardly grab his hand in an attempt at comfort. “We’ll be fine,” I say lowly, “Ladybug will come and save us as soon as she’s able.”

He sniffles as his hand grips mine tightly, the echoing of booming cannons filling the air.

Desperately wracking my brain for some sort of idea, I chew the inside of my cheek painfully. It was at times like these I regretted being so dumb.

The sounds of chains hitting the floor have me looking up, Marinette and Luka standing, no longer bound. In their own little world, I roll my eyes and shake my head.

“Excuse me,” Alya breaks the moment, “but some of us are still chained up here, ya know.” Captain HardRock’s footsteps echo in the other room and I sit up nervously. “Marinette! She’s coming!” she warns with a whisper.

“You two better get out of here,” I add hurriedly as the pirate themed villain opens the door.

“We’ll come back, I promise,” Marinette says quickly, the two of them running into the other room as she chases after them.

Kicking the door open, she walks in as Luka’s shouts for Marinette to run. “Seize him!” she orders, chains quickly dragging him back into the room with the rest of us.

Falling to the ground next to me and Nathanael, I hurriedly ask him if Marinette was alright.

“She’s fine, don’t worry,” he whispers as Captain HardRock stomps past.

I breathe a sigh of relief. I’d have to take his word for now, but he didn’t seem the lying type. _So far._

“Uh, I don’t think I ever got your name. I’m Luka, nice to meet you.”

I snort. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m a little tied up right now,” I say, rattling the chains for added effect.

“A comedian? _Nice_.” He nods his head appreciatively.

That actually draws a chuckle out of me. “Have to disagree. But I’m Evan, one of Marinette’s friends. And this--” I motion to the redhead behind me-- “is Nathanael.”

“H-Hello!” he greets, hand still locked around mine shakily.

“Are you really over there chatting without us?” Alya complains as she aggressively scooches her and Nino towards us with her feet. “Okay, _now_ we can gossip.”

Rolling my eyes with a small grin, the sounds of fighting come from above us and I’m quickly reminded of my main problem. _I wasn’t able to get away and help Ladybug and Chat._

Shifting aggravatedly, I sigh unhappily.

“Are you okay, Evan?” Nathanael quickly asks, his head brushing against the back of my neck as he moves.

“Just getting a little sea-sick,” I lie, doing my best to look believably queasy. Luckily, before I could be questioned more, Ladybug bursts into the room.

With a swing of her yoyo we’re all cut free and I lean away from Nathanael and stretch my arms.

“Do you...do you need help up?” he offers timedly, hand shaking lightly as he holds it towards me.

“No, I think I’m good,” I shake my head as I stand, brushing off the dirt on my pants. “How about you, feeling a little calmer now?”

He looks down with a red face. “Yeah! I, uh...thanks for holding my h-hand. It really helped...so, um, thanks.”

Nodding with a small smile, I look over at Ladybug as she summons her Lucky Charm. Catching the polka-dotted chain that falls into her hands, she frowns confusedly. “Another chain? Some pliers would’ve come in more handy. But don’t worry, guys! I’ll find a way to get you out!”

As she runs back to the upper deck, I bite the inside of my cheek. I had to get out of here and help. Glancing into the bedroom Captain HardRock busted into earlier, I eye the bed and window before taking a deep breath and clutching my stomach with a pained groan.

Nathanael’s the first to notice, leaning over me with a panicked look. “Are you still feeling sea-sick?” he asks worriedly.

“What’s wrong?” Alya jumps in as the group gathers around me.

“H-He said he was feeling a bit sea-sick earlier,” he answers quickly, and I let another groan pass through my lips.

My whole plan rode on the hope that either Luka or Juleka would offer up the bed for me to lay in. And it surprisingly works, Luka doing just that as he guides me into his room.

“ _Danke_ ,” I thank the boy, laying on top of the sheets with a groan.

He just shrugs. “No worries. If you need to throw up, just stick your head out the window.”

As soon as he shuts the door behind him I jump up and quickly, but quietly, jam the guitar on the ground through the bars. Hopefully they’d think the door was messed up from being kicked in earlier. I felt a little bad about worrying everyone, but it had to be done.

“Ready?” Blann asks excitedly as he flies out of my hoodie’s pocket.

Nodding, I quickly transform before sneaking out the window and scaling the large ship. Flipping over the railing just as Captain HardRock hits the ground, I spot a chained up Chat above me in the mast. Sneaking up to him as Ladybug deals with the pirate villain, I flash him a quick grin.

“Hey, kitty, need a hand?” I tease before swinging my tonfa and shattering the chains.

“About time you showed up, bunny. And here I thought rabbits were supposed to be fast,” he sniffs with an adorable pout.

Grinning, I quickly catch myself leaning forward to kiss him and pull back. Mentally scolding myself, I will my blush to fade with a frown. I couldn’t afford to slip up as Lapin Blanc.

“Lapin?” Ladybug’s surprised voice pulls my attention.

“Sorry I was late,” I apologize with a small chuckle. “I was a bit... _chained up_ , you could say.”

She rolls her eyes as Chat snickers, my chest warming at the sound.

“If you refuse to give me your Miraculous, my next target will be Mayor Bourgeois and his landlubbering orchestra!” Captain HardRock shouts.

Taking the brief moment she looks in her telescope to hide down on the ship, I watch in amazement as a laser destroys the bridge in front of us.

“We’ve got a problem,” is the first thing Ladybug says. “I couldn’t free the prisoners! And I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with this!” She takes off the chain and with a worried look.

“Uh, about the prisoners...manage to see a brown-haired guy named Evan down there by any chance?” Chat asks, making me tense up.

“He was chained up with Nathanael when I got there,” she answers distractedly as she looks behind her.

“Nathanael, huh?” he whispers with narrowed eyes, looking not at all pleased.

I blink. He wasn’t actually jealous of the redhead, was he?

Ladybug turns back around with a smirk. “It’s time to take this ship. Follow me!”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Chat and I shout in sync, running after her towards the front of the ship.

Captain HardRock spots us with a laugh. “There you are again! The time has come to send you to the bottom once and for all!” she shouts, pointing her sword and jumping on one of the chains flying at us.

Quickly dodging them, I race ahead of the two and leap over the villain. With her attention shifting to me, they charge forward while holding the chain taunt, digging it into her stomach and forcing her back against the wheel.

Helping them connect the chain, the compass on the wheel starts spazzing out as Captain HardRock squirms around with a yell. With the ship swerving violently, I hold on tightly as it ramps up into the air before crashing to the ground.

Still in one piece, it tips to the side and I lose my grip before sliding off. Hearing Chat activate his Cataclysm, I panic wildly for a moment before rushing out of view and quickly transforming back as the akumatized ship dissolves away.

Seeing everyone that was trapped downstairs, I quietly rejoin them as they watch Ladybug purify the Akuma.

Hoping to go mostly unnoticed, Nathanael proves that difficult as he rushes to my side. “Do you...do you feel any better?” he asks shyly, glancing up at me through his lashes.

I smile with a small nod. “I’m okay now. Just happy it's all over.”

He laughs lightly. “Yeah, I know what you mean,” he says before his face reddens as he continues, “but, uh, but I’m glad I had you with me.”

“What’s going on over here, hm?” Chat’s voice rings out, his arm slinging around Nathanael’s shoulders with a tight grin.

“C-Chat Noir!” the redhead squeaks. “Thanks for saving us!”

“No problem, it’s my job after all!” he replies easily, his cat ears twitching irritably despite his apparent jovial appearance.

With his miraculous bleeping, he lets go of Nathanael and steps towards me. “I’ll see you later, trouble,” he promises quietly as he passes by, leaving me an internally flustered mess.

Grateful for the ladybugs that swoop around us, blocking anyone’s view of my flaming face, I manage to reign in my embarrassment as they just as quickly fly away.

Back on the original boat, Ladybug tells us to enjoy our gig before swinging away.

“Well, that was quite the ride,” Alya says with a laugh before getting serious. “I have to update the Ladyblog about this.”

With her wandering away, typing furiously on her phone, the police chief pulls up.

“Aye, just in time, Roger, I think you’ll find the music now a bit more accommodating,” Juleka’s mom says, motioning for him to come aboard.

Stepping onto the ship, he pulls out a decibel reader before having everyone play into it.

“It’s still a bit loud by my standards and a couple decibels over the legal limit…” he trails off and I bite my cheek nervously. “But I’ll let it slide on this occasion. After all, it’s the music festival.”

Everyone cheers while I grin, though I nearly jump in surprise when Nathanael pulls me in for a hug with a laugh.

Taken by surprise, the joy filling the air eases my shock and I pat his head with a chuckle.

“Hi, everyone!” a familiar voice greets, and I look up before grinning happily at the sight of Adrien boarding the ship.

Meeting my eye, his smile widens before quickly fading as he looks down at Nathanael clinging to me. Frowning, he narrows his eyes as he makes his way towards us, and I almost feel like I got caught doing something wrong. More focused on staring down an oblivious Nathanael, his feet tangle in one of the cases and he crashes to the floor with a loud bang.

The noise makes the redhead jump and he quickly pulls away, red coloring his whole face and I don’t even get a word in before he’s mumbling a hurried apology and scurrying away.

More worried about Adrien, I rush to his side and help him up alongside Nino.

“Woah! You okay buddy?” he asks the blonde worriedly.

“Nah, it’s all good, I-- woah…” he turns to the piano case, “an original ZX20.4? I love the sound of this instrument,” he says with an excited grin.

“Oh? That old thing?” Juleka’s mom asks before shaking her head. “No one knows how to play it.”

“I know how to play it,” he says quickly.

Luka steps up to him with a grin as he offers his hand and helps him stand. “Great! Welcome to the band Adrien!”

“Thanks! Uh…”

“Luka,” he says, shaking his hand.

“Thanks, Luka.” He shifts his attention to me. “How about you? Any instruments you’re playing in the band?”

“Unfortunately not,” I say with an embarrassed laugh. “Though I’ll be cheering with Alya and Marinette if that counts.”

“Of course it does. Can’t have a band without some fans,” Luka says with a crooked smile.

“Yeah, _I_ know I’m honored to have you cheering for me while I play,” Adrien says, grinning in a way that makes my chest squeeze.

Though the moment quickly passes and I excuse myself, appalled at the feeling. It was just for a moment he reminded me of Chat, expression practically mirroring the hero’s exactly. Joining the girls’ conversation to distract myself, I easily slip into mindless chatter as the sky darkens.

Eventually everything is set up and the gentle strum of a guitar has the rest of us quieting down. Chuckling as Rose sings gravelly into the mic, I meet Adrien’s eyes and give him a thumbs up as the strobe lights bounce around us.

This was a hundred times better than the crowded Jagged Stone concert.

\------

One of the last to leave, just after Marinette and Alya, the chilly night air has me shivering in my hoodie as I make my way home. The leftover thrum of the concert ebbing away the further away from the boat I got.

Humming a random tune that was played earlier, I breathe in the silent night with a small smile. The concert was fun, laughing and cheering along with everyone, but the quiet was a nice reprieve from the loudness of it all.

Shoving my hands into the pocket of my hoodie as a particularly cold breeze sweeps through the street, I nearly miss the gentle landing of a black costume-clad hero as he falls into step beside me.

“Have fun?” he asks softly, picking up on the air around me.

“Yeah,” I smile, “it was really fun.”

He hums, our shoulders brushing with every step. “I’m glad. I wish I could’ve been there.”

“Me too. You would love hanging out with my friends.”

There’s a nervous twinge in his quiet laugh but I let it slide.

“I’d love to hear you sing,” I admit softly, almost dreamily, as I breathe in the cold air.

“R-Really?!” he chokes out, voice cutting through the otherwise silent street. Clearing his throat, his grin glints in the dim light. “If you ask really nicely…”

I smile softly as I come to a stop and turn to him. Leaning closer, I brush my lips against his in a feather light kiss before resting my forehead against his. Hands still stuffed in my hoodie pocket, I stare at him through drowsy eyes, just drinking him in.

It felt right, just standing here with him. Like I was in a dream I’d never want to wake from. Like maybe...maybe things would be alright. Like maybe…it was okay to be honest. That maybe I could finally say--

“W-What do you think of that Nathanael kid?”

I blink as he pulls away. What? “What do you mean?”

“It’s…just tell me,” he pleads, grabbing my shoulders to look me straight in the eye.

“He’s my classmate,” I answer honestly.

“Is that all?” he pushes before sighing. “Look, I know what we’re doing isn’t exactly... _normal_...but I don’t want to lose you because I’m not around.”

I go to say something, tell him how stupid that sounded, but he keeps going.

“It’s hard, seeing you throughout the day and not being able to hold your hand, or hug you, or anything! I mean, seeing _other people_ be able to flirt with you while I can’t is irritating.”

I blink again. “No one else flirts with me though?”

His face scrunches up before he lets out an irritable sigh. “While your obliviousness is charming, you can’t really think that not a single person besides me likes you, can you?” he asks with a wilting expression.

I humor him begrudgingly, pausing to think before shaking my head. “Not a single one.”

He stares at me before shaking his head with a laugh. “I guess no one can be competition if you don’t even realize it,” he sighs before stepping forward and slipping his arms around my neck. “Just promise me you won’t be swayed by any shy redheads in the near future, alright? I’d hate to get in trouble for fighting a civilian.”

I snort, my arms circling around his waist as I breath in his warmth. “I’ve only ever seen you. So I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.”

“Oh yeah? What about a charming, friendly blonde that thinks you have the best smile he’s ever seen? What then?”

“Well, in that case…” I pause and pretend to think before shaking my head, “Nope, still don’t see that happening.”

“Why not?” he asks, sounding surprisingly offended.

I shrug lightly as my fingers skim along his warm back absentmindedly. “I don’t know. Adrien’s nice, and I really like it when he smiles, but he’s my friend...Actually, I could ask you the same about Lapin Blanc. You guys are close, so why not him?”

_Or why not Ladybug still?_

But I don’t ask that, because I’m still riding a nice after party high that I don’t want to let go of just yet.

“Lapin? Yeah, right,” he scoffs, and I feel a tad bit insulted. “We’re bro’s! We’ve fought alongside each other and have each other's back. But that’s it. Only friends. So _you don’t have to get jealous~_ ” he teases, bumping his nose against mine with a cat-like grin.

I splutter and look away. Was it even possible to be jealous of yourself?

“Don’t worry, trouble,” he continues, “You’re the only one I want to do this kind of stuff with anyway.”

Face warming, I hide my embarrassment with a hum.

Silence falls between us as he snuggles closer, fingertips dragging up the back of the shaved part of my head lightly. Leaning more heavily on him with a pleased noise, I rest my forehead against his with closed eyes. Easily lost in the moment, I jerk in surprise when my phone rings loudly, breaking the silence.

Pulling away with a small apology, the moon casts a soft glow on him that almost makes me short of breath. Phone quickly forgotten, a feeling of just... _love and_ _affection_ has me reeling. _I love you_ weighs heavily on my tongue, my entire being begging me to just say it. We both knew how I felt, from the very beginning, so why not just say it?

But I don’t, swallowing my confession painfully as I focus on my phone. _I love you_ ’s were heavy and scary. And in the back of my mind there was alway a chance Chat would regret it all and go back running to Ladybug the second she showed genuine interest.

_Not now,_ I scold myself, angry at hurting my own feelings. I told myself, _swore to myself_ , that I’d enjoy whatever affection he’d give me while it lasted. So why did it still hurt to think about? Shaking my head, I read the message from Aunt Claire, her wondering when I’d be home.

“I better get going or my aunt will start worrying,” I sigh, slipping my phone back in my pocket, no longer feeling the earlier jovial mood. _I really was my own worst enemy…_

“Do you want a lift home?” he offers, sliding back up against me with a flushed grin.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I give in to my own wants with a nod. Smiling despite my aching heart, I let him pull me close with a small chuckle.

_Like I said, I’d enjoy it while it lasted._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I added Nathanael because Rose, Juleka, and Alix are still behind the scenes trying to help him get closer with Evan. I also feel like Adrien would definitely be low-key jealous and a little concerned about it too. What can I say, jealous Chat/Adrien just hits different.   
> (Not featured; Nathanael's panicked phone call to Alix just because of Evan's existence) 
> 
> This chapters art --> [The phone call](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/634507287682285568/you-just-know-adrien-was-a-love-struck-mess-when)


	16. Zombizou

Entering the loud locker room, I clutch at the strap of my messenger bag as I hurry to my locker. Today was Miss Bustier’s birthday, and to say I was nervous about her reaction to my gift would be an understatement. I honestly lucked out with Marinette liking the necklace but I wasn’t too sure about this one.

“Hey, dude!” Nino greets as I unpack my bag. “What did you get Miss Bustier?”

I flush. “Oh, uh, just some tulip and sunflower seeds, nothing fancy. I remember her saying those were her favorite,” I answer with an embarrassed laugh. It wasn’t a complete lie, they were part of the gift, but the real present was a letter my therapist helped me write.

It was more of a thank you note than anything else, but it was still embarrassing to write. Something about thanking her for being patient with me and my problems felt silly. But my therapist said it would make a nice gift, _something from the heart_ he said. So a half dozen failed attempts later and here we were, the white envelope tucked neatly underneath the packets of seeds, all wrapped up with a nice bow.

“Pretty rad,” Nino compliments as I close my locker, “I made her a mixtape of a bunch of songs I thought she’d like.”

“Which she probably will,” I state with a small grin.

He tugs at his cap with a large smile. “Thanks, dude. I bet she’ll like yours too.”

Moving out of the way as more students head to their lockers with their presents, we sit down on the coat rack, chatting away about last night's homework.

“I couldn’t find the answer for number four no matter how much I looked,” I groan, arm propped up on my knee as my cheek rests in the palm of my hand.

He matches my mood, groaning as well. “I feel you, dude. I couldn’t figure out question twelve of the math homework for the life of me.”

Stewing in our own idiocy while complaining back and forth, Nathanael greets us with a nervous wave.

“Good morning, Nathanael,” I greet the redhead with a strained smile.

“Are you guys alright?” he asks, glancing between us.

Nino groans. “Just complaining about the homework last night. Math was brutal.”

“History for me, as usual,” I admit with a heavy sigh.

“Oh, well…” Nathanael fidgets as his face reddens, “you’re still allowed to check answers with me if you want.”

I frown as I sit up. “Are you sure? We didn’t have science homework so it seems a bit unfair,” I say, worried about taking advantage.

“It’s fine, really! We agreed to help each other out right?”

I pause before grinning. “You’re right,” I agree with a nod, surprised he even remembered our conversation from a while back.

“Cool...uh, it’s a little loud in here so w-we could go up to the li--”

“Hey, guys,” a familiar voice greets loudy, Adrien and Kim joining us.

“Good morning.” I nod at the two with a small smile as the blonde sits right next to me, shoulders almost brushing.

“What’d you guys get Miss Bustier?” Kim asks, his own gift tucked under his arm.

Nathanael flips around the framed picture in his hands. “I painted her as a superhero because she’s always here for us,” he explains with a smile.

“That looks really good, dude, she’ll love it,” Nino says with an enthusiastic nod, the rest of us quickly agreeing.

Kim starts talking about his gift, but Adrien nudging my shoulder pulls my attention away.

He leans in close to whisper, “What’d you get her?”

“Just some packets of tulip and sunflower seeds,” I answer, the closeness a surprise but not uncomfortable. I was getting to a point where it was okay for my friends to touch me without warning most of the time.

“Good choice,” he nods, shoulder now fully pressed against mine. “I got her a book about yoga since those breathing techniques she teaches us are a part of it.”

“Nice, maybe she’ll manage to keep Kim awake this time,” I say with a chuckle.

“We’ll have to see,” he hums, shifting even closer with a grin.

The familiarity of it almost sucks me in and my hand bumps against his without much thought. But I’m quickly reminded that this _wasn’t Chat_. This was Adrien.

Pulling away, I slide away just enough that we aren’t touching anymore. I wasn’t quite sure what happened, but for a moment it was like he was Chat, sliding up against me the exact same way he always did.

“Look, Marinette’s here!” Adrien stands, face a bright red as he clears his throat. “I wonder what she got Miss Bustier.”

Placated at the fact he appeared flustered at the appearance of Marinette, I follow after him and Nino. He had to have at least _started_ liking her, even a little. Because why else would he be all flustered?

“How about you, Marinette?” he asks as everyone gathers around her. “I’m sure you’ve come up with something awesome as usual.”

“Oh, me? Eh, it’s nearly ruffing at all--Uh, I mean, _it’s really nothing at all!_ ” She laughs nervously, showing off her present, a small polka-dotted pink bag.

_How cute_ I think with a smile.

“If we wish to change the world we must all learn to love each other,” she reads off the bag before looking up. “That’s one of the first things Miss Bustier taught us when we first met her at school. I always keep it in mind.”

_How cute_ I think again, this time about the girl instead of the gift.

“I also added this tube of lip balm. It’s Miss Bustier’s favorite color!” she adds happily.

“Come to think of it, Miss Bustier is probably the reason we all get along so awesomely,” Alya says, and while I don’t say anything, my mind drifts to Chloe.

_Maybe not everyone, Alya._

“I’m so lucky to get a teacher like her for my first year in school,” Adrien says with a smile before turning to Chloe. “How about you Chloe? What’s your present?”

She silent, glancing around before Marinette scoffs.

“Nothing, just like every year since kindergarten.”

The blonde frowns while Sabrina steps forward. “It’s not her fault, okay? Chloe just doesn't like birthdays. She never remembers them, just like her mom.”

Chloe gasps before cutting in. “Yeah, well, you don’t have to tell them my life story, either.” She shoves her friend out of the way. “Anyway, all that stuff about compliments and love? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!”

“This girl has no heart,” Marinette mumbles, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I do so have a heart!” she objects before smirking. “Daddy will even buy me a second one if I want.”

Rolling my eyes as the bell rings, I brush past her with a shake of my head. If the thing about her mother was true, then maybe we were a little more alike than I’d thought. The only glaring difference being that I grew out of my “ _being mean to others to feel better about myself_ ” phase. And even then the kids I got into actual fights with were the ones that liked to tease me.

But I didn’t use it as an excuse now to be cruel, because I didn’t want people to feel how I felt when I was a little kid.

The burn scar on my hand itches and I quickly wave away the memories with a frown. If I thought too much about everything I’d just make myself anxious and depressed.

The day trudges on, almost painfully boring except for an exciting game of dodgeball, until the bell rang for the last class of the day.

Setting my gift on Miss Bustier’s desk with a “ _Happy birthday_ ” as I head back to my seat, I sit down and roll my shoulders tiredly. I couldn’t wait to get home.

Wishing her another happy birthday along with the class, she thanks up happily before grabbing a present off the pile.

“Marinette made that one!” Alya shouts as she opens it, though the teacher’s face twists up in confusion as she pulls out the tiny, messed up purse.

With a gasp Marinette rushes to the front of the class and grabs the gift with wide eyes before glaring over at Chloe. “I know you did this Chloe Bourgeois!” she seethes, and I clench my hands.

“A 99.56% certainty,” Max chimes in.

Frustration growing, I bite the inside of my cheek angrily. I take everything back. We were _nothing_ alike.

“So uncool, Chloe!” states Alya, just as angry as me.

The rest of the class murmurs in agreement as Miss Bustier tries to calm everyone down.

“Now, now, we don’t want to get upset on my birthday, do we?” she asks before taking the bag off Marinette. “Well I think this present is wonderful! I think I’ll make it my cosmetics bag. Then I’ll be able to think of both of you every time I use it!”

“What? You’re not gonna let her get away with this!” Marinette objects, starting a whole new round of anger in the classroom.

“She’s worse than Hawk Moth!” Alya states, and I almost laugh.

Alix quickly jumps in, angrily saying, “At least half the city has gotten akumatized because of her!”

I bite my tongue before I could say something about the blonde as well. There was no real winning with her, and I was a little too angry to deal with her.

Miss Bustier claps and calls for everyone’s attention. “Students, please! Calm down now! The classroom is not a place for insults and defamation,” she addresses before turning to Marinette. “Marinette, would you come with me, please?”

Frowning as she calls for Alya to be in charge, I cross my arms and watch unhappily as her and Marinette leave the classroom.

“Not defamation if it’s true,” I mutter angrily, unable to stay silent any longer. Why everyone was so willing to tolerate Chloe’s behavior was baffling.

“Oh, I’m sorry? I thought the _freak_ of the class was saying something,” Chloe says, smirking mockingly as she looks back at me.

Sucking in a breath, I glare at her heatedly. How could one girl be so horrible? “You really can’t stand someone being better than you, can you?” I ask sharply, tensed up and ready for a fight.

I could practically _feel_ the tension brewing, the classroom deathly silent as we glare at each other. Grade school me would’ve already been halfway across the room by now, itching for a fight to prove my worth. So she really was lucky I wasn’t like that anymore.

“What? Standing up for your loser girlfriend?” she asks mockingly, Sabrina giggling next to her.

I had to bite my tongue painfully hard to stop myself from saying something that I’d regret.

“No objection? Hear that Nathanael? Looks like it’s just not meant to be,” she says, voice laced with false pity as she sets her sights on my frozen seatmate.

“ _Halt deinen Mund_ ,” I seethe, hands slamming on my desk as I stand. “You don’t get to make fun of others when you’re such a joke yourself.”

“Evan, it’s okay…” Nathanael mumbles, hand tugging on the sleeve on my hoodie lightly.

I almost back down at the sight of his pleading look, though my frustration quickly reignites when Chloe scoffs loudly.

“ _How cute,_ one freak trying to calm down the other.”

“Chloe!” Adrien cuts in sharply, surprising everyone in the room.

She furrows her brows and looks away with crossed arms. “What? I’m just standing up for myself!”

My shoulder aches from my tense posture and I know I’m at my boiling point. Focusing on taking steady breaths, my pulse finally starts to slow, though my progress is ruined when Chloe opens her mouth once again.

“I don’t even know why they let him stay after he attacked Nino anyways. Daddy would’ve had him thrown out!”

This rallies Nino and Alya, who quickly jump to my defense.

“Low blow, Chloe! You know we’re buds now!” he says with a shake of his head.

“You’re just jealous that people would rather be his friend than yours, even after what happened!” Alya shouts, arms crossed as she stands proudly.

“Me? Jealous of _him_?” she scoffs. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Chloe, just let it go, _please_ ,” Adrien sighs, sounding thoroughly disappointed.

“And why should I? They're all ganging up on me!”

“Like we should!” Alix shouts, suddenly standing.

“Yeah!” A few agree, and the murmurs in the class pick up once again, much more excitedly this time. Though everyone quickly falls silent as the door opens to a prancing, black and pink clad woman.

Hopping on the teacher’s desk, she turns with a flourish. “I have got some great news for you students! From now on everyone’s going to hug and kiss and feel the love! Even _you_ , Chloe.” Blowing a kiss, a black pair of lips head towards the blonde.

Making a sound of disgust, she pulls Sabrina in front of her so it hits her instead.

The akumatized woman gets ready to blow another kiss before Ladybug appears in the doorway and wraps her yoyo around her wrist.

“Please, Miss Bustier, you’ve gotta snap out of it!”

_That was Miss Bustier??_

“I’m not Miss Bustier anymore!” she shouts, yanking Ladybug all the way to the other side of the room. “I am Zombizou!”

Quickly heading out the door with everyone as the two begin to fight, I almost manage to sneak away, only to stop and watch as Sabrina leaps at Mylene and kisses her. Ivan pulls the kissing fiend away worriedly but Mylene starts crawling to him begging for a kiss.

“It’s contagious!” shouts Adrien. “Don’t let yourselves get kissed!”

Slipping away as everyone rushes up the stairs, I step into an empty classroom as Blann flies out of my camera bag.

“Not looking forward to this one, are you?” he asks with a giggle.

I shiver in disgust. “No way. The thought of a bunch of people kissing me is gross.”

“Too bad they're not all Chat Noir’s then, hm?”

Rolling my eyes, I bring my bracelet up before he hurriedly stops me.

“Wait! Before we transform, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Because Chloe was a real jerk back there!” he steams, pouting unhappily.

“I’m fine.” I chuckle. “My friends stood up for me when she got really rude. Besides, she’s being targeted by yet another akumatized person, so I can’t complain too much.”

“If you say so! Just make sure to watch out for any puckered lips!” he teases, and I snort in amusement before transforming.

Sneaking out of the room, I quietly tiptoe my way around the alarmly large amount of now kissified students. Spotting movement in the locker room, I quietly make my way over and peak in, relieved to see my classmates and Ladybug.

Opening the door, everyone freezes and turns to me with wide eyes. “It’s okay guys, just Lapin Blanc here,” I say with a wink as I quietly close the door behind me. “Everyone okay?”

“I think so,” Ladybug answers, though Nino cuts in worriedly.

“Adrien still hasn’t come out of his locker.”

Quickly opening the locker, Ladybug quickly slams it shut at the sight of the kissified blonde while the others scream in terror.

“Oh man, he must’ve gotten kissed on the stairs when he was saving Chloe!” Alya says as the almost zombie-like students gather around the outside of the room.

“We need to head to the roof!” Ladybug states before throwing open the window and latching her yoyo to the roof.

Helping her move everyone up safely, she pulls the last one out of the room just as the sound of the door being kicked open sounds from down below.

Out of reach from the affected people, I stare down at them as the news plays from Ladybug’s yoyo.

“Hey, guys,” Chat greets, landing on the roof with a grin. “All for our french greetings, but hold off for the kisses for now, huh?”

Rolling my eyes as he locks elbows with me and pulls me towards Ladybug, she shows us the news station on her yoyo.

“Hordes of kissing zombies are spreading throughout Paris. Let’s go over to our mayor, Mr. Bourgeois, live from city hall,” the news reporter says before it switches to Chloe’s father.

My interest immediately wanes at his appearance, and I almost choke when the kissified police chief makes him topple over. Catching Chat as Chloe shoves him away to see the broadcast, I glare at the girl as I help steady him. Even when she was worried she was still annoying.

“I took care of your father, Chloe, show yourself,” Zombizou’s voice crackles through the yoyo. “Then Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Lapin Blanc...I’m coming for you! Unless, of course, if my sweethearts get ahold of you first. Because very soon the whole city will be hot on your heels!”

Ladybug shuts off the broadcast with a frown as the students start going after Chloe once again. _Not that she didn’t deserve it mind you._

“ _Chloe. Always Chloe_ ,” Alix seethes, stomping up to the blonde as she backs away. “You only think about yourself!”

“I don’t know why we don’t just give them what they want,” Alya quips, joining in surrounding her.

Nino nods with a frown. “Yeah, good idea!”

Chloe scoffs, crowded to the edge of the roof. “Is it my fault that I’m better than all of you?”

Ladybug quickly takes hold of the situation, interrupting with, “Sorry to disappoint you guys, but Chloe doesn’t deserve to get attacked anymore than you.”

I shrug from behind her. _I mean…_

“And we need her as bait to lure Zombizou out when the time is right,” she adds.

“Thanks…?” Chloe trails off before Rose screams and points to the zombies successfully climbing up to the roof.

“We’ve got to evacuate! Over there!” Ladybug points to a bus down below. “Chat Noir, do you know how to drive?”

“You should know the answer to that, milady. I can do anything!” he says with a wide grin.

“Kitty’s first then!”

Leaping down to the bus, he extends his staff up to the roof and tosses his belt to us.

Lifting Rose up as Ladybug wraps it around her, she hooks it around the staff before sending the girl sliding down to Chat. Taking off one of my own belts, we hook up Juleka and send her down as he tosses his belt up to us once again.

Getting most of the students down, the sounds of the kissified zombies kick up again as some of them start climbing out the library window. Urging Nino down to Chat as Ladybug uses her yoyo to block them in, I curse as the zombies that were scaling the side of the roof reach us.

Catching Chat’s belt before turning to deal with the infected group, I shout at Max as he throws himself in front of Chloe. Quickly trying to hook up Kim, he shakes me off and grabs her and shoves her in my arms.

“Play the hero as much as you like, Kim, but you still won’t be getting a kiss outta me,” she says with her nose upturned.

“Just take her, before I change my mind,” Kim says to me, before the mob of people latch onto him.

Getting ready to follow after her as she slides down the staff, one of them grabs my ankle and I nearly trip over the ledge. Dangling off the roof with my heart in my throat, I grimace at the multiple hands gripping at my leg. Hearing Chat call for the zombies attention, I look up (or down I guess) and spot him leading them away from a stuck Chloe. Though I quickly kick free of the zombies when Rose bursts out of the bus to help her.

_Everyone being so willing to put themselves in danger for the blonde was insane._

Twisting around to land on my feet, I rush to Rose as she struggles to carry a complaining Chloe. Yanking her free from the kissified zombie clinging to her ankle, I jump to the top of the bus before setting them down.

“Took you long enough,” Chloe sniffs, shoving away from me and Rose with crossed arms.

Gritting my teeth, I silently help them into the bus through the roof as Ladybug and Chat land behind me.

“We gotta go now!” Chat says, retracting his staff as the horde starts to surround us.

Leaping inside, he takes over the wheel and I nearly topple over as he clumsily steers the large vehicle.

“ _I can do anything_ ,” I echo with a roll of my eyes while clinging to the handrail next to the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, I thought you said you knew how to _drive_!” Ladybug says with a frown.

“I’ve mastered every car and race track in _Extreme Racer 3_...but there are no buses in that game,” he admits, making me shake my head.

“It’s still better than nothing, I guess,” I say, because I didn’t know anything about driving other than how to turn the car on.

“See? Nice to know my talent is appreciated!” he grins at me, nearly swerving off the road. Quickly getting control of the bus again, he apologies with a laugh. “So what now?”

“Let’s take Chloe to the top of the Eiffel Tower. There will be less zombies there and fewer places for all of Zombizou’s disciples to run to,” Ladybug says.

“Less places for us to hide too.”

“And we’ll be trapped,” I add, leaning forward as I stare out at the road.

“But it’s the only way if we want Zombizou to turn up in person,” Ladybug says, and I give in with a sigh. It was the best idea we had.

A surprised shout comes from the back of the bus and I turn to see a shocked Juleka holding her mouth.

Eyes widening as Rose turns and charges at everyone, I shove Chloe out of the way as I rush to help Alix. WIth Ladybug’s yoyo wrapping around the handrails to try and stop the kissified Rose, she wraps her arms around the girl as she blocks the path.

“I totally trust you Ladybug!” Alix shouts while holding Rose back.

Chloe groans from the ground. “Ugh! People need to stop invading my personal space!”

I bite my tongue in annoyance. Of course she couldn’t be even a little grateful. Hauling her up with a frown as we drive to the Eiffel Tower, I almost want to wash my hand when I let her go. It was a brief but very telling invasive thought, showing just how much I didn’t like her.

“I need you to take her up to the top of the tower as fast as you can, Lapin,” Ladybug orders, much to my irritation. “The rest of us will be right behind up.”

Forcing down a groan, I salute her with a cheeky grin. “You can count on me!”

“Good.” She nods. “Everyone ready? We’re almost there.”

The remaining few, now just Alya, Nino, and Chloe, head towards the front of the bus as Chat pulls into the square. Throwing the blonde over my shoulder as she screeches indignantly, I activate my miraculous and burst out the doors as soon as they open. Flying by the dazed zombies, I slip inside the entrance of the tower before quickly heading up the stairs.

Luckily not encountering any more kiss obsessed zombies on the trek up, the horrid screeching tunneling directly into my poor ear has me wishing that I did. All but dropping her when I reach the top of the tower, I chew at the inside of my cheek as I look out the window at the kissified zombies.

“Could you be any rougher! I thought I was going to die!” Chloe screeches, crossing her arms with a loud huff.

Glaring over at her, I pull her out of view and shush her loudly as some of them turn towards us. “Do you _want_ them to hear you?” I whisper angrily as I bounce leg to leg to keep the adrenaline flowing.

She huffs again, rolling her eyes. “Whatever. Where’s Ladybug?”

I take a calming breath. “Probably in the elevator,” I answer stiffly before focusing on the shuffling of the zombies outside.

“You’re pretty rude for a superhero. Ladybug would _never_ treat me this way.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose with a sigh. “Chloe, I realize you crave attention and validation, but you can’t seriously think being rude and nasty is the way to go.”

“What?! I don’t--!”

“Look,” I turn to her seriously, “I’m only going to tell you this once, so listen up. _No one’s going to truly like you if you always think you’re better than them_. _No one likes being made fun of and no one, not even Sabrina, likes how high and mighty you act._ ” I sigh and scratch the side of my head. “I get it, having a crappy mom sucks, but that doesn’t excuse what you say and do. I’m sure, deep, _deep_ down you’re an alright person--” _hopefully_ \-- “but no one will ever find out because you act so horribly.”

“I don’t...I don’t even _want_ any of those losers to be my friends! I’m fine without them.” She looks at me with complete contempt. “And don’t think you can act all nice and understanding, either! You may be a hero, but you’ll _never_ be the best.”

I grit my teeth, anger boiling just underneath my skin. I don’t know why I even tried to get through to her. “You know what, Chloe? Forget it, keep living in your own little world.” I shake my head, biting the inside of my cheek to temper down even a smidge of my growing frustration.

Luckily the elevator dings, sliding open to reveal the other two heroes.

Shoving away from the simmering blonde, I quickly explain about the other zombies outside.

“We’ll go to the office. It should be safer there,” Ladybug says, Chat picking up Chloe with a nod.

Heading out the door, I leap over the zombies with Ladybug but Chat ends up trapped. Throwing the girl in his hands at us with a shout, Ladybug catches her before rushing away and shoving her in the office.

Kicking some of the kissing zombies away from him, he stands firm in blocking them off, even as they pepper him with kisses.

“Chat Noir…” I trail off as my stomach drops, hand aching to touch his face.

“I’ll just stay here and chill,” he jokes with a grin as Ladybug rejoins us worriedly. “I’ve got a certain someone that would cry if we kissed, so you better hurry up and save us, okay?”

“We can’t just leave you!” I say quickly as I grip his shoulder, ignoring the fact that I was a little insulted at his comment.

“Ladybug’s the only one that can fix this! No arguing now, from either of you!”

Ladybug and I share a saddened look before nodding at him and heading back to Chloe.

_I’m gonna kiss you so hard when everything’s back to normal!_

Shutting ourselves inside, we both panic slightly when we don’t spot the blonde. Searching around anxiously, Ladybug finds her first, hidden underneath a table, and crouches down beside her.

“At least I won’t get in your way now, good luck,” she says before cowering further under the table at the sound of Zombizou’s laugh.

Joining me at the window, Ladybug gasps.

“Give me Chloe and your Miraculous, Ladybug,” Zombizou demands. “Then I _might_ let you witness the final triumph of love!”

Ladybug summons her Lucky Charm as my bracelet bleeps in warning. I didn’t have much time left.

“Makeup remover? How are you gonna save my life with _that_?” Chloe questions as she slides next to Ladybug.

Stumbling back as Chat’s booming _“Cataclysm!”_ sounds from above just before the roof caves in, I pull the two girls back cautiously.

“Kissu,” he says as he looks up, once bright green eyes now a striking pink.

Darting away as he chases after us, I manage to distract him as Ladybug grabs the scarf off the statue.

“Aren’t you supposed to be loyal?!” I shout, bouncing off the wall and brushing past him hurriedly. With him hot on my heels, I skid to a stop and plan to pull a fake-out last minute to buy me more time.

Apparently, though, there was enough Chat still in him to know that, and he crashes into me as I try to get by.

Before I could try and shove him away his soft lips slam into my cheek without remorse. Under different circumstances I’d be giddy, but all I do is shove him away with a shout while scrubbing at my face.

“I’m sorry, this is all my fault!” Chloe says to Ladybug and I snort despite my growing panic.

_Ya think?_

“Awesome, but maybe now’s not exactly a good time,” Ladybug states, catching Chat’s attention as he charges at her.

With my head pounding I scramble up off the ground to try and grab him. Nearly tripping over my own feet, I actually freeze in shock when Chloe steps forward and blocks Chat with her own body.

“Save us all, Ladybug,” she says as Chat peppers her with kisses.

“Lapin--!” Ladybug turns to me before her eyes widen at the kiss mark on my cheek.

“Get going,” I sigh as I start prying the blondes apart, ignoring the i=unnatural warmth spreading across my chest. “Because I won’t be too happy if I end up kissing Chloe against my will.”

Grinning determinedly, she leaps out of the hole in the roof as Chat clings to me. Letting it happen, I rub his back in a familiar motion as he litters kisses all over the exposed part of my face.

Struggling to string together my increasingly hazy thoughts, I barely notice Chloe now clinging to us as one overwhelmingly strong voice pounds in my head to kiss someone, _anyone_.

Coming back to my senses as a swarm of ladybugs disappear out of the corner of my eye, I quickly untangle myself from Chat and wipe my mouth with a burning face. I must’ve blacked out at some point, because I couldn’t even remember actually kissing him or not.

“Didn’t have to shove so hard…” Chat whines from the ground, rubbing the back of his head with a pout.

“Sorry, sorry,” I apologize, offering a hand and pulling him up. “I was just surprised.”

“Don’t I get an apology too?” Chloe huffs as she pats off the back of her pants. “You know what? Nevermind. I don’t want one! Just take me out to Ladybug already.”

Rolling my eyes, my bracelet bleeps erratically, warning me I only had precious minutes before being forced to transform. “I’ve gotta go!” I say hurriedly, only pausing brief enough to look back at Chloe. “Really think about what I said, alright? ‘Cus I meant every word.”

Leaving her grumbling at the ground, I leap over the railing of the Eiffel Tower before grabbing one of the jutting steel beams and quickly making my way down.

Reaching the alley next to the flower shop just in time, I drop down quietly and glance around. Catching Blann as I transform back, I lay him on my shoulder as I pull out a small bag of dried strawberries from my camera bag.

Leaning up against the brick wall as he quickly eats, I politely turn him down when he offers one. “Do you think Chloe will actually think about what you said?” he asks, munching away happily from his spot on my shoulder.

“Probably not,” I admit. “She doesn’t strike me as the type to take criticism easily.”

He hums. “Well, no need to dwell on it. You can’t help everybody, no matter how much you might want to.”

I nod in agreement before pulling out my phone as it vibrates. “Looks like everyone’s alright,” I mumble, reading the group text Alya created with me, Nino, Marinette, and Adrien.

Typing in a quick _I’m okay_ amongst the other replies, I snort at Nino’s complaint of getting too old for all this.

_You’ll be fine,_ I type with a grin.

_You alright Evan?,_ Adrien messages.

_Yea, I got infected at the school but I’m almost home now._

Texting with everyone for the next couple minutes, I slide my phone back in my pocket as Blann finishes the last of his dried strawberries. Heading inside after he gets comfortable in the hood of my hoodie, I’m greeted by a relieved Aunt Claire.

“I’m so happy you got home alright!” she says, letting me see her open arms before sweeping me in a hug.

“Of course, Ladybug always saves the day,” I mumble into her shoulder, basking in the gentle, familial touch.

Pulling away with a small laugh, she adjusts her glasses with a smile. “That’s true, but I’ll always worry about you and Maddie.”

Ears warming at her honest sounding words, I head upstairs when a customer pulls her attention to the counter. Making a quick pit stop at the fridge to grab a drink before making my way up to my room, I open my bedroom door to a stretched out Chat lounging on my bed.

“I come in peace,” he says as he sits up with a grin.

“I’m sure,” I hum, setting my camera bag on my dresser and toeing off my shoes.

“You’re right,” he sighs dramatically, splaying his arms wide. “I’m actually still a zombie and I’ve come to infect you with a kiss. So hurry and accept the inevitable.”

Snorting, a grin spreads across my face. “You’re such a dork,” I chuckle, collapsing on top of him as he wraps his long limbs around me. Breathing in his cool scent as my head rests on his chest, his heart thrums pleasantly in my ear.

“Rough day?” he asks, fingers scratching the underside of my hair lightly.

Humming, my eyes close at the nice feeling. It really was, having to deal with Chloe _and_ an Akuma attack at the same time was exhausting. “Not as much as yours, I’m sure.”

“Nah, pretty run of the mill if you ask me. Fight a supervillain, save Paris. Pretty standard nowadays.”

I prop myself up on my elbows to look up at him. “And I’m extremely thankful that Paris has you,” I say with a small grin, enjoying the way his face reddens.

“You’re only saying that because you like me,” he sings with a smirk.

Resting my head back against his chest, I hum in acknowledgement. With him going back to scratching the back of my head, he deftly slips off my glove with other hand and threads our fingers together.

I practically melt on top of him.

Realizing just now how exhausted today left me, my eyelids weigh down heavily as I groan. Chat didn’t come here just for me to fall asleep on him. Summoning my strength to shift away, he pulls me back with a chuckle.

“You can sleep, I don’t mind,” he says softly, fingers scratching pleasantly against my undercut once again.

“You sure?” I manage to get out, limbs already heavy as I try to fight back against the urge to fall asleep.

“Go ahead, Trouble, I know you usually don’t get enough sleep anyway,” he soothes and my heart almost bursts at the seams. Ladybug really missed out, not that I was complaining.

“Wake me up in half-an-hour,” I mumble, unable to keep my eyes open any longer.

“Of course,” he agrees softly, chuckle vibrating against my ear as a light smile ghosts my face as I finally give in.

_It was the best nap I’ve ever had._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, we all know Evan actually loves to cuddle and would definitely fall asleep easier with Chat around. He's just built romantic like that.
> 
> [Afternoon naps just hit different](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/635155095846322176/naps-just-hit-different-cuddled-up-with-someone)


	17. Syren

Finishing safely rounding up the last of the zoo animals, I land on the roof with Ladybug, Chat, and Rena Rouge. My wariness around the newest hero lessened now that I knew she wasn’t here to try and my place or Chat, as childish and possessive as it sounded.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Chat asks as Ladybug and Rena start to leave.

“Rena’s about to transform back,” Ladybug explains as the other hero's Miraculous begins bleeping.

“So you’re allowed to know her true identity and _we’re_ not?” he presses, crossing his arms unhappily.

“Because I have to get her Miraculous back,” she says, but Chat really isn’t letting it go today.

“I don’t really mind not knowing,” I chime in with a shrug, she helped when needed and that was more than enough.

“So what’s my role then? Guy who’s always left in the dark? What else are you hiding from us?”

Rena’s Miraculous bleeps again and Ladybug frowns. “Okay, I’ll talk to him about it,” she sighs.

“Him? Who’s him?”

Stepping away with a nervous look, Ladybug promises to explain when the time was right before disappearing with the other hero.

“I hate secrets!” Chat humphs with a pout.

I shake my head. “Kinda comes with the job, kitty.”

“Yeah, but not between us! We’re supposed to trust and rely on each other, right?”

“Come on, Chat,” I say as I roll my eyes, “secret identities are a big deal, you know that.”

He looks away with crossed arms. “We should still know if Ladybug gets to know…”

“Don’t pout, I’m sure she wouldn’t hide it without reason,” I say, almost slipping my arm around his waist before quickly stopping myself and shifting away. _Not as Lapin Blanc, Evan._

He blows a raspberry. “Ugh, I _hate_ secrets! Everything would be so much simpler if we didn’t have to hide our identities!”

I blink, a little taken aback by his intensity. “This....isn’t just about Ladybug and Rena Rouge is it?” I ask slowly, growing concerned for him.

“I...no, not entirely…” he sighs, looking back at me with a frown. “I--you know how I’ve mentioned I was sort of seeing someone?” He takes a deep breath as I nod. “Well, I...”

His Miraculous bleeping loudly cuts him off and he shakes his head before grinning. “Looks like I’ve gotta pounce. See ya, bunny.”

Watching him leave with concern, I sigh quietly to myself. I didn’t fully understand what the problem was about secret identities. I never pressured Chat into revealing his, and I was fully planning on taking my hero identity to the grave. It felt a little skeevy to purposefully avoid telling him, but Lapin Blanc was my one chance to still be with him if things ever fell apart between us.

It was a sour thought, but still a realistic one. And while Alya might label me a pessimist, it prepared me for the future. But...maybe there was a small, _tiny_ spark slowly burning through my anxious worries, fanned lovingly by a fastidious Chat, who was hellbent on getting me to admit what we truly were.

Shaking away the looming thoughts, I start the trek back home. I’d just get stuck in my own head if I thought too hard about everything.

Reaching my balcony, I head inside as I transform back. Setting Blann next to the bag of dried strawberries on my desk, I sink into my bed and grab my discarded phone. Seeing an unread message from Adrien I open it curiously.

_Sorry, looks like I’m not allowed to go to the movies._

_Movies_ …? What...I sit up with a gasp. _The movies!!_

“Blann! We forgot about that Mecha-monkey movie! That started…” I glance at my phone, “Five minutes ago!”

Shoveling one last large mouthful of food into his mouth, he flies to me with wide eyes. “Well we better hurry then or you’ll get an earful from Alya!”

Quickly transforming, I burst outside and hop onto the roof before my eyes focus on Adrien’s room across the street. He sounded pretty excited to go yesterday, and now…

Looking back towards the direction of the theatre, I bite the inside of my cheek before groaning. I couldn’t just leave him.

Jumping across the street, I land on his windowsill and knock politely. There’s some loud clamoring inside before his window opens to reveal a surprised Adrien.

“Lapin Blanc…?”

“The one and only,” I say with a grin, hopping inside before he could say anything.

“W-What are you doing here? Didn’t you just get done capturing those zoo animals?”

I shrug as I turn to him. “Yeah, but I thought I’d swing by since I had the time.” Looking around, I quirk a brow at the Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Lapin Blanc dolls strewn across the couch. “Did I interrupt something?”

“What? No!” Embarrassed, he quickly snatches up the dolls and throws them somewhere near his bed.

Giving him a disbelieving look, I hum wordlessly and decide not to embarrass him any further. _For now._

“Um, since you're here...I actually could use your advice,” he says, averting his eyes nervously as he sits on the couch.

Curious, I sit on the coffee table across from him. “I’ll try my best,” I say with a quick grin, “So lay it on me, Mr. Model.”

He rolls his eyes at the nickname before clearing his throat. “It’s...well it’s a little complicated. I, uh, have this friend that really likes this one person, a lot, but he’s struggling with a really big secret he wants to tell them.”

I blink. “How big?”

“Big enough that it could possibly ruin their whole relationship.”

“Wow, that’s, uh, pretty big,” I state awkwardly as I scratch the side of my head. Here I was thinking that maybe it’d be about Marinette. “I guess...just think about how’d you feel in their shoes?”

“They said they didn’t mind not knowing but...I--he wants to tell them, because it’s tiring and it doesn’t feel right lying to them.”

“I mean, it’s up to him,” I shrug half-heartedly, “if he wants to tell that person then it’s his choice.”

“Just like that?” he asks worriedly and I nod.

“Just like that.”

He looks down with a sigh. “ Maybe...but I--he’ll have to really think it over. Thanks for the advice,” he says, looking up with a small smile.

Ruffling his hair as I stand, I try to ease the mounting heaviness with a grin. “Don’t worry about it, Mr. Model, do or don’t I’m sure it’ll work out in the end.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he swats my hand away with a pout, “now get going so I can tell all this to my friend.”

“Okay,” I back away with my hand in front of me, “I know when I’m no longer wanted. Just make sure to tell your friend he’s not allowed to get mad at me if it goes wrong.”

He rolls his eyes and I wink at him before hopping up to the windowsill. “I’ll make sure to put all the blame on you,” he says with a smirk.

Making a pained sound, I give him one last farewell before leaping to the fence and then to the roof across the street. Finally heading towards the movie theatre, I quickly near the building and drop down to a deserted pathway. Transforming back, I nervously take out my phone and wince at the missed call from Alya.

“Told you you’d get an earful,” Blann says, floating next to my ear and giggling as I groan.

Shooing him away while checking the time, I slip my phone back in my pocket before quickly running towards the movie theatre. I’m pretty sure I still had time, and if Marinette was still Marinette I wouldn’t be the last to arrive.

Spotting a slightly miffed looking Alya at the theatre’s entrance, I smile apologetically when I get to her. “Sorry, I lost track of time,” I say with an embarrassed laugh.

She crosses her arms. “Sure it wasn’t lover-boy keeping you occupied?” she asks with a grin.

Face warming, I take my ticket from her with a choked denial. “He...he wasn’t with me!”

“Sure....whatever you say,” she teases, eyes sparkling in amusement.

Flustering even more, I mumble something about heading inside before moving past her now laughing form. Entering the movie theatre, I exchange my ticket before heading to the darkened screening room. Spotting Rose waving energetically at me, I wave shyly back as I make my way towards them.

Taking one of the empty spots next to Nino, I finally let myself breathe a sigh of relief and sink into the cushioned chair.

“Hey, dude, see you finally made it,” he says, nudging my shoulder.

“Yeah, I completely forgot,” I sigh. “Sucks about Adrien though.”

“Tell me about it, a total bummer.”

“You’d think that his dad would at least let us visit or something…” I mutter unhappily.

Nino snorts. “Yeah, right. Have you _seen_ his dad? Total control freak.”

“I know,” I admit with a small nod. It wasn’t fair to Adrien to have to suffer through all that.

Quieting down as the movie theatre dims, Marinette finally arrives with Alya leading her towards us. Waving to them in a silent greeting as they sit, the movie doesn’t even start before the people in front of us start quickly leaving. WIth a few murmurs of confusion, I lift my feet up in alarm as water floods the row. Quickly panicking as a whole new wave of rising water bursts through the doors, I stand up in my seat nervously.

“The stairs! Quick!” Marinette yells hurriedly.

Treading the quickly deepening water, we make our way up to the roof just as the stairwell floods behind us.

“Is everyone…” trailing off, I stare in shock as the sight of a flooded Paris, the water easily covering almost every building.

Startled by a loud splash, I look over at Kim bobbing happily in the water.

“Come on, guys. I can teach you to swim in two seconds flat, Markov! You just put your arms like and then you push your legs,” he says, ignoring the obvious problem with a robot swimming. “It’s kinda like being a frog, you see…”

Tuning him out as my eyes shift to a fin headed his way, a mermaid-like girl jumps out of the water and grabs him before disappearing down below.

Rushing to the edge of the roof to look for him, I bite my cheek anxiously. Not even a ripple disturbs the calm waters and I panic more. Kim was a strong swimmer, but he was still human. And humans needed to breathe.

Hearing Alya call for Marinette, I shove away from the railing and look over to see the girl paddling away in a garbage can.

“What are you doing?!” Alya shouts worriedly.

“Uh...I'm going to get help!” she shouts back, nearly tipping over before continuing to paddle away.

“Okay, so...I guess we’re saved then?” Alix drawls out questionably.

“Hopefully,” Alya responds, shaking her head before heading over to Nino

Frowning as I lean against the railing to stare deeply down at the water, I think hard for a way to slip away. There wasn’t any place to actually go and there were people all around, making any possible plan too risky.

The sounds of arguing break my thoughts as a heated discussion between two random adults behind me puts me on edge. Did they really need to do this _right_ now? Intent on ignoring them, I force myself to pick up on my trailing thoughts. Biting the inside of my cheek, the arguing makes it almost impossible to actually ignore.

Getting ready to find someplace quiet, I turn with an irritated sigh just as one of the men shoves the other. Falling back, he slams into me, elbow digging into my gut painfully, as the momentum sends me tumbling over the railing. Hearing alarmed shouts of my name as I hit the water, panic seizes in my chest as it engulfs me.

A beat of stunned fear passes as I slowly sink, the distorted yells from above muffled, and I quickly force myself to calm down. This was okay. I was a decent swimmer and wasn’t afraid. All I had to do was calm down.

And this...might’ve been the solution to my problem.

I felt guilty about it but this was the perfect time to get away. I’d definitely owe everyone some big apologies, but if I didn’t go now I doubt I’d be able to.

Nodding to myself, I mentally apologize to my shouting classmates before kicking off and quickly swimming further down and away from the theatre.

Swimming until it felt like my lungs were going to burst, I head to the surface and take a large, much needed breath of air. Panting as I pull myself up on one of the lower rooftops, I fall flat against it with a deep inhale.

“You alright?” Blann asks worriedly as he pats my cheek.

I groan. “Never...never doing _that_ again.” Taking a few more moments to catch my breath, the pounding in my head lessens enough so I can stand. “Okay, Blann. You good to go?” Receiving an excited nod, I bring my bracelet eye level before saying, “Blann, ears up!”

Looking at the GPS on my tonfa, I make note of the two glowing dots a few yards ahead before quickly making my way to them. Spotting Chat with Ladybug in his arms, a hot sting of jealousy burns in my chest before I promptly shove it away.

_Don’t expect more than you’re already given, Evan._

Sucking in a sharp breath, I slap on a grin as I hop over to them. “Planning on going for a swim?” I ask as I land in front of them, noticing a soaked Ladybug with a laugh.

Chat laughs at her expression as he sets her down. “Yeah, could’ve invited us.”

“Very funny,” she rolls her eyes, “But I wasn’t planning on it. Ladybugs aren’t exactly cut out for deep sea diving, you know.”

“Cats aren’t exactly crazy about water either, _you know_ ,” he snarks back, flashing me a smirk when I snicker quietly. “Is there any chance you can get us a submarine?”

“ _Paw-_ ssibly, kitty cat,” she teases back before summoning her Lucky Charm.

I clamp down on another surge of jealousy with a mental scolding. I made myself okay with it before, so I’d just grin and bear with it again.

Holding a bowl in her hands, I raise a brow inquisitively.

“Well, we can always scoop out the water. It’ll just take a _long_ time,” Chat remarks.

I elbow him with a snort. “Better get started then, kitty. If you start now you might finish by next year.”

“You’re the one with the super speed, bunny, so be my guest.” He motions to the flooded streets with a dramatic flourish.

Ladybug sudden gasp catches both of our attention. “I’ll be right back!” she says hurriedly.

Chat grabs her wrist. “Wait, where are you going?”

She pauses before looking away guiltily as she says, “I...I can’t…”

“Say anything...yeah, I know,” he sighs, releasing her wrist dejectedly. “But we _are_ a team, aren’t we? I’m tired of all these secrets.”

“I’m sorry. It’s not exactly easy for me either, trust me.” Casting us one last look, she leaves the two of us on the roof.

Now just me, Chat, and the awkward atmosphere, he sits with a sigh as I sway foot-to-foot nervously. I wasn’t sure what to say, but I wasn’t going to let him get stuck in his head either. Taking the spot next to him, I bump shoulders with a small smile.

“We’ll always be a team, you and me.”

“For now anyway,” he grumbles, refusing to meet my eye. “You left before, remember?”

I wince and look away. “How could I forget?”

“Wait, I didn’t mean that,” he says quickly, shaking his head. “I’m just frustrated by all the secrets. It’s like that’s all my life is now. Just lies and secrets.”

Leaning back, I stare up at the clouds with a quiet hum. “I mean, I get it. It is hard sometimes, and keeping secrets between us only makes it worse. But...some secrets have to remain secrets, right?”

“Not between us there shouldn’t be. Besides our secret identities we shouldn’t _have_ to have secrets. We’re a team, and that means being honest.”

A pit of guilt forms in my gut. It would destroy any trust he had in me if he found out Lapin Blanc was actually Evan Mercier.

“If I can’t tell someone I love who I really am, then Ladybug can at least be truthful, you know?”

“Chat…” my hand aches to take his, but it felt like crossing a line as Lapin Blanc. Because, to him, I was a close friend right now. And I was going to keep this connection separate from Evan as much as I could. So I settle on leaning my shoulder against his in a small show of comfort.

“I don’t know why you aren’t upset too,” he says, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

I shrug. “I guess I...just think about being in her shoes. She sounded like she didn’t like not telling us, so it’s obviously something important.”

“If it’s that important we should now too then!”

“What ever happened to ‘ _curiosity killed the cat_ ’?” I ask with a quirked brow.

“Satisfaction brought it back, obviously,” he replies, elbowing me.

Shoving him with a chuckle, I almost grab his hand and kiss him before stopping myself at the last minute. Bolting up as my face burns, I clear my throat and try to get a reign on my jittery nerves. “I’m gonna go make a few rounds to see if I can spot the akumatized villain anywhere. Let me know when Ladybug comes back.”

“Yeah…” he sighs, once again sinking into a morose mood as I leave.

_Sorry, Chat, but I was ridiculously close to kissing you._

Getting further away as I leap roof to roof, I eventually come to stop and transform back, if nothing else than to give Blann a chance to stretch.

“Poor Chat…” he hums sadly, nestling on the top of my head.

I crouch down and lean back on my heels, looking down at the glistening water. “He’s gonna _hate_ me when he finds out who I am,” I groan miserably while staring deeply at my reflection. It would’ve made everything so much easier if he would’ve liked Lapin Blanc instead of boring, depressed Evan Mercier.

“Don’t say that! He’d never hate you!” Blann says quickly, slipping down my forehead to hug the bridge of my nose.

“No one knows truly knows the heart of his fellow man,” a new voice chimes.

I do a double-take at the sight of a vaguely familiar smiling old man suddenly next to me. “Uh...do you need help?” I ask unsuredly, hoping that he somehow didn’t notice Blann still glued to my face.

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, _kleiner Hase_ ,” he chuckles, still smiling pleasantly.

_Little rabbit…?_

“I’m sorry...but I don’t…”

“M-Master Fu!” Blann squeaks, letting go of face.

“Excuse me, but who are you?” I cut in, shifting away as I tense.

The man smiles softly. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to cause harm to either of you. I’m the old man you saved from those _idiots_ , as you so fondly called them.”

Frowning, I furrow my brows before gasping. I remember him now! But why was he here?

“I know you’re most likely confused, but Ladybug needs your help,” he says as he holds out a tube of bright green liquid.

Looking at it warily, I glance up at him.

“You can trust him, Evan,” Blann says, floating next to my face a little nervously.

“If you're sure…” I trail off as I take the vial, giving it a once over.

The old man nods before directing his gaze at the small Kwami.

“It’s for me,” Blann explains, pulling away from my face to down the liquid. “Now you tell me to power up and it should work.”

Furrowing my brows, I glance at the now empty space where the old man was and look around. Not even a ripple of water was out of place.

“He does that,” Blann giggles before once again urging me to continue.

Forgetting the weird old man, I scratch the side of my head and hesitantly say “Blann…power up?”

A brief flash of light surrounds the rabbit kwami and I stare wide-eyed at his new form, consisting of bright blue fins for arms and a similarly colored mermaid tail.

“Introducing Aqua Blann!” he shouts excitedly, spinning to show off his changes. “Now hurry up and let’s help save the day!”

Smiling at his energy, I quickly transform and take a moment to marvel at my own change in costume.

I had bright blue flippers on my feet and equally as bright fins along my outer forearm and calves. The dark accents of my outfit, along my chest, arms, and legs, were replaced by scuba tubes and in the middle of my belt was a glowing simple rabbit face, identical to the one on my bracelet.

_So we could do more than transform into normal superheroes._

Jumping in the water, I do a few test laps around a floating car before looking over myself in appreciation. Breathing underwater was a little weird, but it beat almost drowning by a mile.

“Looking good, bunny,” Ladybug’s slightly altered voice calls, and I take in her own outfit changes before grinning.

“You too, bug,” I tease back, throwing her a wink.

She laughs before pointing down the street. “I saw Syren taking Kim towards the pool, so I think that’s where she’s keeping him.”

Nodding, I quickly follow after her, still marveling the alienness of flooded Paris.

Reaching the building, we overhear Syren speaking to Kim as we slip in.

“Does this mean I’ll never get to see Mega Monkey vs. Cyber sharks 3?” he asks worriedly, causing the akumatized girl to pull away confusedly.

“Oh yes you will, don’t worry,” Ladybug cuts in, the two of us swimming behind her, “In fact, you’ll probably make it to the next showing.”

“The four of us could go together, I’ll even share my popcorn!” Chat chimes, appearing and swimming to us with a grin.

“Nice to see you could join us,” I say with a grin, eyeing his costume change appreciatively. _He’d look good in anything._

Embarrassingly distracted, I kick out of the way as Syren rams into Chat like a bull. WIth Ladybug pulling her back with her yoyo, I briefly check on Chat before swimming after her as she untangles the yoyo from around her feet.

The two of us keep her busy as Ladybug talks with Kim, one of us drawing her attention whenever she gets too close to the other. Spotting Ladybug waving me over, I duck out of her way as she switches her target back to Chat before quickly swimming over to her.

“Get him out of here, we’re taking this fight outside,” she explains, and I nod quickly before grabbing him and activating my Miraculous.

Quickly leaving the pool, Syren must immediately notice because her frustrated bellow follows me down the street. Ignoring it, I swim faster before jumping out of the water and onto a roof. “Stay hidden,” I instruct my classmate, setting him down behind a chimney.

“Chat Noir, Lapin Blanc, you two alright?” Ladybug’s voice crackles in my ear.

“Yeah, like a fish in water,” Chat chimes, and I snort before pressing my finger to the small earpiece.

“Everything’s good on my end, no crazy fish ladies as far as I can _sea_.”

Chat’s laughter almost drowns out Ladybug as she defeatedly groans out, “grab my yoyo and be ready to strike.”

Giving her a quick, “yes, ma’am!” I take Ladybug’s yoyo off him and warn him one last time before leaping back into the water.

Quickly catching up to them as the two manage to trap Syren in a car, I pass her her yoyo and she ties it to the bumper of the vehicle. Jumping back out of the water, she tangles the rest of it around Chat’s staff and he quickly extends it before yanking up.

“Looks like I got a nibble!” he shouts as the car flies out of the water and crashes on the roof. “How cool! I’ve always wanted a goldfish!” he gushes as we stand around it.

With Ladybug unlocking the door, she grabs the bracelet off the listless villain before breaking it and purifying the Akuma that comes out of it.

“Thank you for keeping your promise, milady,” Chat says as the ladybugs sweep through the streets below.

“We _are_ a team, aren’t we?” she asks as the three of us fistbump.

Smiling along with them, I haven’t the slightest clue what they were talking about.

“We’re talking about the old man that gave us the vial, Lapin,” Ladybug sighs, easily noticing my blank thoughts.

“Honestly, bunny,” Chat shakes his head, “what would you do without us? Just vibe along with the chaos?”

I pause to think. “I trust you guys to tell me what I need to know,” I answer simply with a shrug. Apart from secretly hating me I didn’t really care to know all their secrets.

Ladybug smiles exasperatedly. “Thanks for the confidence, Lapin, but don’t be too docile, alright? I need to be called out on bad plans.”

“Like Riposte and Dark Owl?” I raise my brow, looking at her expectantly.

She cringes. “Yes, _just_ like that.”

Chat nudges me. “Just try not to make her cry. She’s pretty emotional.”

Laughing at her offended look, I glance down at my bracelet as it bleeps warningly. “Looks like I gotta hop. See you guys later.”

Giving them a quick goodbye I head back to the movie theatre. Alya and Nino were probably looking for me, which meant a worried, increasingly angry Alya. Landing in a hidden alley, I transform back with a groan. _Great._

Telling Blann there was a baggie of dried strawberries in my camera case, I smile at his quick hug before stepping out onto the street. Not getting very far before shouts of my name catch my attention, Alya almost throws herself at me before stopping short and settling on crossing her arms.

“Are you okay? When you didn’t come back up we were terrified something bad happened!” she says quickly.

“Yeah, dude, we were all panicking like super hard,” Nino agrees, a little breathless from keeping up with her.

Scratching the side of my head, I offer a weak apology. “There was an undercurrent and I got dragged for a few blocks before breaking free.”

“Man, that sounds rough,” he says with a frown.

I laugh lightly and shrug. “I guess. I’m ready for a nice shower though.”

“Sounds like you deserve it.” Alya nods. “Want us to walk you home?”

Shaking my head, I turn down their offer with a smile. I’m pretty sure I lived in the wrong direction.

“Alright, message the group chat when you get home.”

With a round of goodbyes we part ways and I yawn tiredly as I start making my way home.

Around halfway there, the same old man from earlier appears out of nowhere and I come to a quick stop.

“Hello, Evan, care to have a small chat?”

I blink. “I...I guess? You’re someone important right?”

He chuckles. “You could say that. But let’s go somewhere a little less crowded, shall we?”

Against my better judgement I follow him into a place called _Fu's massage shop_ while gripping the strap of my camera bag nervously. Leading me to a room with a small table, he sits and urges me to do the same.

“Master Fu is the last guardian of the Miraculous,” Blann explains, flying out of my hoodie as I settle next to the old man.

“Now, I’m taking a rather big risk bringing you here, but my hope is that you’ll prove my worries wrong,” he says, quickly getting to business.

“W-What do you mean?” I ask, voice cracking nervously.

“I mean, with no disrespect, is that the masculine half of the rabbit holders are more...prone to giving in to their negative emotions.”

Blann worleslly burrows in the crook of my neck.

“In the past, there have been a large number that succumb to their darkest thoughts and attack one of their fellow heroes, becoming the very evil they so enthusiastically fought.”

“Why?” I find myself asking.

“Usually for power or revenge, though it was not alway so. There was originally one rabbit Kwami, placed in a singular Miraculous, that allowed the holder the power to teleport between universes and rivaled the strength of the Ladybug Miraculous in sheer possibilities. This power went unchecked for too long, and the Kwami came to fear that the balance of the universe would be upset,” he explains, smiling sadly before continuing.

“An internal struggle consumed it, one side wanting to stay focused on saving others, while the other wanting to help it’s struggling holder. In the end, the conflict actually split the rabbit Kwami in two, birthing two whole new spirits-- the feminine force, Yin, and the masculine force, Yang. The two split could not rejoin and each was given their own Miraculous’, each gravitating to different holders. The Yang rabbit choosing you.”

My brain chugs to keep up with all this new information. “But why?”

“Each Miraculous gravitates towards a certain holder, be it their bravery or selflessness, and the Yang rabbit Miraculous is no exception. It’s attracted to the desire to change, whether good or bad, and it resonated strongly with you, Evan.”

“ _Desire to change?_ What does that even mean?”

“To be someone else, to act differently, just the urge to _change_ and be changed. Surely you’ve noticed that Lapin Blanc has offered you opportunities and challenges you’ve never would’ve had if you were a normal passerby, yes? That is the effect of your Miraculous urging you forward.”

I frown. “I...I really don’t understand. How does this all make someone more likely to become a villain?”

“It doesn’t make them do anything,” he corrects. “It just allows them to wield the power to be their true selves.”

“So what? I’m destined to turn on Ladybug and Chat? Just because I’m the Yang rabbit holder?” I question heatedly, heart pounding in my ears with growing anxiety.

“No, no! You’re destiny is no one’s but your own. What I’m saying is that you must not give in to your insecurities and shortcomings if you want to be the best Lapin Blanc you can be.”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I rub my open palm on my leg. I was full of shortcomings, so was I already a bad hero?

“But,” he continues, “from what I’ve seen, I think you’re doing wonderfully as the Yang rabbit.”

I look up. “Really?”

Nodding, he smiles and pats my gloved hand. “Struggles come to us all, and we become stronger because of them. So don’t be discouraged, Lapin Blanc, many people believe in you.”

Taking a deep breath, I nod resolutely. I would rather die than betray Ladybug and Chat. “Thank you for telling me,” I say with a small smile, petting a still clinging Blann with my finger.

“My pleasure,” he responds happily, before pulling out a small box and handing it to me. “Before I forget, take these.”

Opening the plain box, different assortments of candies fill the inside.

“Each of these allow Blann to transform like today,” he begins, the small Kwami and I listening intently as he explains the different colors.

\------

Mind reeling as I enter the flower shop, I yawn tiredly while closing the door.

“Evan! Did you see all the water?” is the first thing Madeleine asks as when she spots me, her hopping off her stool behind the counter with wide eyes.

“Yeah,” I nod with a stretch, “got trapped on top of the theatre.”

“Us too! Mom and I managed to climb to the roof through your balcony just in time!”

Aunt Claire waves at the last customer before turning to us. “I wanted to call, but my phone dropped in the water.”

“It’s okay, I’m just glad you guys got out in time,” I say, smiling at her before looking away with another yawn.

Laughing lightly, she pats my head affectionately. “Go ahead and head upstairs. I’m planning on ordering out today so you should have a few hours to catch up some sleep.”

“Does that mean I can leave too?” Maddie asks excitedly, only to quickly be turned down.

“Nuh-uh, missy, you’re stuck helping out. No skipping!”

Chuckling at the loud whine that leaves my cousin’s mouth, I head upstairs to the apartment as their chatter fades. Going all the way up to my room, I set my camera bag on the couch and toss off my gloves before flopping onto my bed with a tired groan. All that information from Master Fu really overloaded my brain.

“Today was pretty busy,” Blann hums, sitting by the edge of my bed instead of his usual spot next to my face.

“Yeah,” I yawn, blinking away the tears as I motion him over. “Come on, I’m not suddenly going to hate you just because of what some past Lapin Blancs did,” I say, meaning every word.

Instantly, tears well up in his eyes as he smashes himself against my cheek. “You have to promise that you’ll never hate me! Because you’re my favorite bunny and--and…”

Shushing him, I pull him off me and cup him in my hand tenderly. “That won’t happen. Without you I’d still probably be shut off from the world, scared to be a real part of it.”

Sniffling, more tears stream down his cheeks and he clings to my thumb with a wail. Letting him cry it out, I hum a random tune as I close my eyes.

He should know that, despite the pain and hardships, I’d _never_ regret being Lapin Blanc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made up my own completely ridiculous lore on why there would be two rabbit Miraculous', but I think it makes sense? If you don't understand something about it just comment and I'll try to explain more. I also like the idea of the Miraculous sort of choosing the holder, just cause it sounds a little more magical that way. 
> 
> Now there might not be a chapter next week, depending on my schedule, so just a heads up. I'll try to find time to write but idk. Things are going to be a little hectic on my end.
> 
> This chapter art --> [Aqua Lapin Blanc & Blann](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/635798239191400448/presenting-aqua-lapin-blanc-and-aqua-blann)


	18. Frightingale

“Look, Evan! I almost have her whole dance down!” Madeleine says excitedly, copying the woman on screen almost perfectly. 

“Nice,” I compliment, glancing up from my spread out homework at the dining room table with a nod. “I have two left feet when it comes to dancing.”

“I could always teach you!” she offers with a wide smile, twirling around before collapsing onto the couch with a giggle as the music video ends. 

Going back to my work, I scribble down my math answer as the TV host speaks animatedly in the background. Kneading my twinging right shoulder absentmindedly, I almost miss my phone ringing. Seeing it was Mr. Lacroix I quickly answer. 

Offering a polite hello as I finish the last question on the paper, I straighten up as he begins speaking.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Mercier,” he greets, stoic as usual. “I’m in charge of photography for a music video and I want you to accompany me. It would be a good opportunity to practice working in chaotic environments.” 

“Uh, sure! I-I mean, of course, it would be my pleasure.” 

“Good, I’ll pick you up in approximately five minutes. Be ready.”

Ending the call, I quickly shove my school supplies in my bag.

“Where’re you going?” Madeleine asks.

“Mr. Lacroix wants me to go to a photo shoot with him!” I answer as I disappear upstairs. 

Reaching my room, I toss my bag on the couch before getting ready. 

“What if it’s for that Nightingale singer?” Blann squeals. “How cool would that be!”

I shrug as I pull on my hoodie and a new pair of gloves. “You’re a fan of her right? So keep your fingers crossed,” I say, flashing a grin as I grab my camera bag and start heading back down.

Waving goodbye to Madeleine as I pass her, I head down to the flower shop, pausing to tell Aunt Claire my plans.

“Mr. Lacroix already called,” she says before I can say anything.

Blinking, I nod as I fumble with my messy hair. “Then it’s okay, right?”

“Of course, just remember to stay safe, okay?”

Nodding again, I head outside just as Mr. Lacroix’s black SUV pulls up. “Good afternoon, sir,” I greet as I slide into the passenger seat.

Making a sound of acknowledgement as we drive away, the soft thrum of the radio fills the quiet between us. 

“The photoshoot is at the Grands Palais Hotel,” he suddenly says, hand briefly adjusting his tie before he continues, “Everything should already be set up when we arrive, so we’ll have a few minutes of free time before we start.”

Nodding, I lean back into the seat as silence falls between us once again. Eventually reaching the crowded building, I frown at the sight. Once again I was going to have to suffer through multiple strangers…

Stepping out of the SUV after he parks, he slips on a lanyard before holding one out to me. 

“Press badges,” he states plainly, busying himself with his camera equipment as I put it on. “They shouldn’t bother you, but make sure to tell them you’re with me if they do,” he adds, shutting his car door, camera bag in hand.

A little nervous at the thought, I stick close to him as we make our way through the crowd. Stopping to show our badges to one of the crew before entering, I’m at least a little relieved that it wasn’t nearly as hectic as it was outside.

Spotting the photo set to the right of the stage, I almost miss the group of my classmates in one of the lines.

“Hey, Evan!” Alya shouts with a wave, the other girls copying her excitedly.

Returning the gesture, albeit much more shyly, I glance over at Mr. Lacroix. I wanted to say hi, but I was technically working.

The older man clears his throat. “As I said earlier, we have a few minutes. Just don’t dally,” he says, adjusting his tie before heading over to the set without me.

Taking that as him allowing me to go over, I head to the group with a smile. “Hey, what are you guys doing here?” I ask with another small wave in greeting.

“We’re here to try out as extras for the Ladybug music video, _ duh _ !” Alya says with a roll of her eyes.

_ What? _

They must notice my dumbfounded expression because Marinette is quick to explain. “Clara Nightingale is making a song about  _ the heroes of Paris  _ and wanted people to audition to be in the music video. Pretty cool, right?”

“Like...Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Lapin Blanc?” I ask, just to be certain.

“Yep! It’s going to be so fun!” Rose says excitedly, though the pit in my stomach doesn’t agree.

Alya points to the other two lines. “The one with most of the little kids is for the Lapin Blanc tryout and the other is for Ladybug.”

Looking behind me, the middle line was indeed filled with mostly kids and parents, with only an occasional teen thrown in the mix.  _ I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or a little disappointed at that. _

“None of you want to try out for Ladybug?” I ask, shifting my focus away from the other line. It’d admittedly be interesting to see people try to imitate me and Ladybug.

Rose shakes her head before smiling. “We all wanted to be in the music video so we’re trying out to be extras!”

“Though we all know I’d own it as Ladybug,” Alya quips with a dramatic flip of her hair.

I chuckle. “You’d definitely have my vote.”

“Too bad they already have a Chat Noir or you could try out for him,” she teases.

I do my best to ignore the remark, quelling the embarrassed swirl in the stomach. “They already chose someone?”

“It’s supposed to be a surprise!” Rose chimes excitedly. 

“Yeah, I can’t wait!” Mylene adds, almost managing to match Rose’s enthusiasm. 

“Thank you for coming, all of you!” The singer begins, the loud chatter of the crowd stopping. “This is like a dream come true! Together we'll all dance and sing; It's going to be awesome and amazing!

“We’re gonna be in Clara Nightingale’s music video! This is humongous!” Alya gasps with a large smile.

Marinette squeals, “I can't believe this is happening!”

“And now, meet our rising star, Adrien as Cat Noir!”

Looking over to where the star was pointing, my mouth drops open at the sight of the blonde dressed up identically to the real Chat. He...he  _ looked almost exactly like him! _

Making eye contact with me as he waves awkwardly to the crowd, panic sweeps over his face and he hurriedly rushes over to a waiting Ms. Nightingale and Mr. Agreste’s assistant, who's holding an Ipad. 

Eyes stuck to him as they all talk to each other, a nervous, jittery feeling settles in my stomach. He really,  _ really _ looked a lot like Chat from here.

“It's no biggie; it's okay. We don't need the mask for tryouts anyway,” the singer starts as she leads the blonde onto the stage, before turning to Lapin Blanc and Ladybug auditionees and encouraging them to, “Come on!”

Still dumbstruck at the sight of Adrien, I shake my head and force myself to stop and rationalize. 

    1. Adrien couldn’t be Chat Noir
    2. They only looked alike because they were both blonde and he was far away
    3. I was stuipid and lovesick so anyone could look like Chat if they tried…



  * _It was just impossible_



Mostly satisfied with my reasoning, I wave goodbye to the girls before heading back over to Mr. Lacroix. 

“I’m going to the second floor to take some high-angles shots. Focus on taking some close up candid pictures of the people.”

Leaving before I could even nod, I take off my bag and grab my camera, taking a moment to pat Blann in the process. Moving around the room to get as many pictures of everyone in their natural state of awe and excitement, my eyes still occasionally flicker up to the stage. 

Or more specifically- _ \- Adrien. _

My fingers itched to zoom the lens in and capture a quick photo of him, just so I could  _ really _ see him. But I don’t, because  _ Chat Noir couldn’t be Adrien _ . Though a small, annoying voice in the back of my head questions,  _ “what if?” _

But I choose to ignore it, because that’s what I did best-- ignoring things that made me uncomfortable. 

Heading to the front of the lines, hoping to distract myself through photography, I snap a few more shots of everyone’s eager faces. Hearing a scream from right behind me, I turn to see one of the auditioning children tumbling off the edge of the stage. Pulse jumping, I drop my camera--luckily strapped around my neck--and rush towards her. Arms stretched out to catch the terrified child, she lands safely and I wince at the sting that shoots down my right shoulder.

Quickly setting her down, I knead roughly at the aching muscles as her mother thanks me profusely. “It’s no problem,” I offer with a small laugh, already ready to get out of the spotlight.

Thanking me a couple more times, the little girl offers me a  _ “Lapin Blanc high-five!”  _ before they leave.

“Are you alright?” Mr. Lacroix asks, cutting off the staff member who was already asking.

Nodding, I stretch my shoulder to help relieve the sting. “I’m fine, sir. Just ready to get back to taking photos.”

“Here you are, swift and cool; Lapin Blanc is certainly you!”

I freeze, stomach dropping as the singer prances over to me excitedly. Trying not to panic, because maybe she was talking to someone else, I ignore her and try to slink away. But her hand on my shoulder stops me, and the pit in my stomach grows as I slowly turn to face her.

“Don’t be nervous or ashamed, you belong on this stage!” she sings, dancing in place happily as my heart almost stops. 

“I-I think you have the wrong person…” I say shakily, slipping out from under her hand with a nervous smile. 

“Without a doubt, my eyes are true! Lapin Blanc has to be you! So come with me and you’ll see, we'll make you shine spectacularly!”

“No, no, I couldn’t!” I attempt again, palms up as I shuffle back, mouth dry at the feeling of hundreds of eyes on me. “I’m too awkward to be on camera.”

Her eyes only sparkle even more as she laughs. “Even better, can’t you see! Lapin Blanc is much the same! So just say yes and be adored, by my million fans or more!”

A nauseating feeling sweeps through me. All those people watching me? Shaking my head, I point to the eager line of kids behind her. “I-It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else that wanted to try out! Some of the kids looked really excited to have a chance to be Lapin Blanc...so, uh...I’m sure they’d be better at it than me…”

Her smile dims but she nods. “A pity to hear, but I understand. Just like Lapin Blanc, you’re kind to his fans.” Heading back to the stage, she winks back at me before adding, “Though if you change your mind, please speak up! You’re the Lapin Blanc I truly want!”

Sighing in relief as she continues with the auditions, I knead at my tensed shoulders before getting back to taking candid shots of the crowd and stage. 

“You sure you don’t want to?” Blann’s small voice squeaks from my camera bag.

Giving a noise of affirmation as I look over my picture, I move back towards Mr. Lacroix, satisfied with what I had.

Handing him my camera, I glance back at the stage as two little kids tryout as Ladybug and Lapin Blanc. Smiling as they give it their all, my gaze once again focuses on Adrien and I unexpectedly meet his eyes. 

He really did look a lot like Chat. From their practically identical build to how similar they smiled. I furrow as he jolts in surprise and quickly looks away. How didn’t I notice any of this before? The last time I stopped to  _ really  _ think about it was when Riposte--

Ice floods my veins as I shiver at the memory. I refused to think about it too often. The fear and heaviness that came with remembering my.... _ passing _ ...would always leave me shaken and disturbed. So, shoving the creeping, harrowing thought away, I bite my cheek and force myself to focus. 

“Did you want to accept the role of Lapin Blanc?” Mr. Lacroix asks.

Realizing that I was still staring at Adrien, I tear my eyes away and try to ignore the embarrassed flush I now sported. “No,” I shake my head, “I’m terrible at being in the spotlight. I’d much rather be behind the camera than in front of it.”

Handing me my camera, he glances up at the stage before back at me. “I see…” he trails off before frowning. “Switch over to a wider lens and try to capture some movement. I want to be able to see the excitement in the room.”

Nodding, I switch out my camera lens before snapping a few shots of the sectioned off lines of people. Making sure to get one of Marinette, Alya, and the rest of the girls, I look back up at the stage, Adrien’s appearance once again at the front of my mind. 

It was all so jaring how similar they were, that it was the only thing I could think of when I looked at him in that costume. Truthfully I doubted I could even handle it if Chat turned out to be Adrien. Even entertaining the thought felt like betraying Marinette. The only comforting thought was that he  _ couldn’t _ be Chat Noir, because they both were there during  _ The Gorilla  _ fight. 

Shaking my head, I focus back on taking candid shots of everyone. It didn’t do me any good to theorize the  _ what-ifs _ of the future, especially if I was only going to end up anxious about it. Keeping my spike of worry buried, I pour myself into my photography as the Ladybug and Lapin Blanc lines dwindle. 

The Lapin Blanc tryout line runs out first, the last auditioner being a girl a little younger than me. Still without a star, the oppressive weight of Miss Nightingale’s pleading stare has my creative flow shriveling up. 

“I’m done, sir,” I state quickly, stiffly heading over to Mr. Lacroix, dead set on ignoring the look. It was a dangerous  _ and _ stupid idea to put me on stage in a Lapin Blanc costume. Everyone would figure out who I was within seconds of seeing me. 

I may be impulsive, but I wasn't  _ that _ much of an idiot.

Letting Mr. Lacroix look through the newest pictures as I continue to play dumb to the looks cast my way, I only turn when someone clears their throat. 

Mr. Agreste’s assistant, holding a tablet with the man on it, gazes critically at me and I fight back the urge to cower away.

“Clara was right in wanting him,” Mr. Agreste hums with narrowed eyes. “You’re one of Adrien’s friends, aren’t you? I saw you in some of the pictures that were posted online.”

“Uh...yeah?” I answer hesitantly, glancing between the screen and the woman holding it. 

“Then there should be no problem in helping him onstage, should there? The costume is ready in the trailer.”

Stiffening, I swallow dryly. He was...really direct.

“Mr. Agreste,” Mr. Lacroix cuts in sharply with a frown. “I’d very much appreciate it if you would leave my protege alone.”

A brief look of surprise flickers over Mr. Agreste’s face. “Really, Gilbert? Someone so young? I thought you hated working with children.” 

Mr. Lacroix’s shoulder edges in my vision as he gruffly states, “he has talent. Though that changes nothing about anything..”

He sneers. “I see you still haven’t ridden yourself of that horribly brutish attitude.”

Mr. Lacroix scoffs, actually  _ scoffs, _ as he crosses his arms. “This is exactly why I prefer working through your assistant, Ms. Sancoeur. You always loved childish insults the moment things would go awry.”

Like a match being struck, whatever pretense of civility between the two quickly burns away, leaving a rapidly growing animosity in the air.

Glancing around at people outside of the unfriendly bubble, I’m at least relieved that on one seemed to have noticed the hostile atmosphere. Swallowing heavily as I pull at the sleeves of my hoodie, my heart thuds in my chest as the silence grows. A rare few times I’ve seen Mr. Lacroix angry, and this was almost on par for when Fang tackled me.

Acutely aware of the growing whispers as more and more people notice the silently feuding adults, my mouth dries as my heart pounds. I didn’t want Adrien’s father to hate me or Mr. Lacroix’s reputation to suffer because of me. _ All because I was awkward being filmed. _

“I-I’ll do it!” I choke out, trying my best to hide my nervous quakingo of my hands.  _ To make everyone happy _ I chant in my head, keeping my bubbling anxiety from rising to the surface.

“Are you sure, Mr. Mercier?” Mr. Lacroix asks, turning to me with an almost  _ concerned _ look.

Nodding, I clear my throat while trying my best to sound convincing. “They, uh, couldn’t find anyone else so I don’t mind…”

_ Liar. _

Mr. Agreste looks entirely too pleased with himself as he calls out for one of the staff. “Take this boy to Clara and then the dressing room,” he orders, and I only have a second to look at Mr. Lacroix before being led to the pop singer.

Spotting me, an excited smile lights up her face as she sings, “Joy, unbridled; hope, anew! You’re the greatest, I swear it’s true! So give me your name, if you would, so the star gets recognized as they should!”

“I’m Evan Mercier…” I offer hesitantly, stepping back as she crowds me.

“Lapin Blanc has finally been found! Please Evan Mercier take a bow!” she cheers, spinning towards the auditioners and pointing at me excitedly. 

Feeling my heart drop as my face burns, I overhear a few cheers of my name as I stare a hole into the ground. As soon as the opportunity to leave appears I scurry off to the changing room without glancing back. 

“I have half a mind to beat up that Mr. Agreste! He practically bullied you into this!” Blann pouts as I finish pulling on the skin tight costume.

“I’ll be fine,” I state, truthfully more to myself, as I slip on the rabbit ears. “I’ll just have to act even more awkward in front of the cameras.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Ha-ha,” I roll my eyes, before staring at my reflection with growing unease. “I didn’t realize how obvious it looked...I should’ve changed my hair or something.”

Settling on my shoulder, the small Kwami pats my cheek. “People only see what they want to see, so I think you’ll be okay as long as you don’t act  _ too _ much like Lapin Blanc.”

Groaning, I flip over the dark-colored mask in my hands. “Is it too late to sneak away?” I grumble, tossing it back on the table, frustrated at the spotless recreation.

“If you want to,” Blann chimes, watching me through the mirror without a hint of joking.

I stare at him for a moment, seriously considering it, before throwing my hands up in irritation. “We both know I can’t,  _ and won’t _ , do that,” I moan bitterly. 

“I know,” he states with a smile. “So that means you think fast and find a way. You  _ are _ the Yang Rabbit Miraculous remember?”

Taking a deep breath, I stand up straight and swallow my rising fear. He was right, as usual. I was Lapin Blanc, and Lapin Blanc was quick-witted. 

At least until a knock at the door has me panicking. 

Shoving the mask under some clothes on the shelf next to me, I hope it’s enough as I head out to make a complete fool out of myself on TV.

Flashing a shy smile at my classmates as I walk up to the stage, I stand next to Adrien with increasing anxiety. 

“Perfect!--but wait! Your mask! Where did it go? It’s needed for the music video!” Ms. Nightingale gasps as she looks at me.

“It...wasn’t there?” I offer lamely as I fidget nervously.

One of the staff cut in, saying they’ll look for it alongside the other one, before rushing away.

“No matter! It’s fine! Masks aren’t needed ‘til showtime!” she says with a spin before starting continuing the auditions for the second time.

“Sorry about my father,” Adrien whispers, cringing as one of the auditioners trips during her routine.

“It’s fine,” I whisper back, glancing up and down at him subtly. He still looked like Chat close up. “I didn’t know him and Mr. Lacroix didn’t get along…”

“I wouldn’t say that...Mr. Lacroix’s been my photographer since day one and, besides the occasional complaint about set design, he’s never said anything bad about my father. So it’s more like they’re both strongly opinionated and bossy.”

I snort in amusement. That was an understatement.

A few more people try out before he once again speaks up. “You...uh...what do you think of my outfit?”

“You look a lot like Chat,” I laugh uneasily as I glance over at him.

Laughing along, he scratches the back of his head. “Y-Yeah...you too. I mean, you look a lot like Lapin Blanc!”

A bolt of panic settles in my stomach as I continue to laugh, unsure of what to say. He wasn’t that far off, the only difference being that I  _ was  _ Lapin Blanc. 

With the last of the auditioners leaving, there was still no one chosen, much like mine. 

Ms. Nightingale notices as well, glancing at me and then the snack table. Picking up a tray of chouquettes with a grin she carries it over to the extras. Watching her curiously, I flinch when she purposefully trips herself.

With chouquettes flying everywhere, Marinette is the first one to react, ducking under the rope and rushing to the fallen star.

“There you are! Here's a hug--” she grabs the confused girl-- “Because you are Ladybug!”

Marinette flounders for a moment before pulling away anxiously. “ What? I have no idea what you're talking about!” she laughs loudly, Adrien and I easily overhear her.

Ms. Nightingale stands up, dragging her along, and twirls her around happily. “You did what Ladybug would have, just the same. Your heart is pure, like hers. What's your name?” she leans close. 

_ Seems she really didn’t understand personal space. _

“Marinette!” she gushes as she spins around before getting down on one knee “Say it's so! Will you please play Ladybug in my video?”

Alya and Rose cheer her on loudly and I give her a thumbs up behind Adrien as she looks up at the stage dreamily.

Thinking she was going to say yes (because why wouldn’t she?) she surprises me by shaking her head. 

“That's so nice of you, and...I'm one of your hugest fans, but I came here to be an extra with my friends, and I really wanna stay with them.”

I shake my head as Ms. Nightingale stands. This would’ve been the perfect chance to get to properly know Adrien.

“That's a pity, a shame; but I understand it's true. That's a very cool gesture, very Ladybug of you!” the star says, leading her over to the chair by the trailer. “Just sit over here for make-up, okay? I'll ask your friends to be sent over right away!”

The other girls quickly join her, each hugging her tight as they no doubt gush about what she said.

“Too bad,” I sigh.

“Looks like we’ll have to pull off a two man job,” Adrien says with a serious nod. “How do you look in red?”

Staring at him for a moment, I laugh before I could stop myself and shove him lightly. “Sorry, but you’re the model here. I’m sure you have the talent to pull off a great Ladybug impression.”

The both of us bursting into giggles, his hand bumps mine and I almost take it before freezing.  _ Just because he looked like Chat didn’t mean he was. _

“S-Sorry!” he apologizes hastily, pulling his hand away completely as his whole face reddens. 

My own beginning to burn as well, I wave my hand with a small laugh. “It’s fine! I’m okay with you touching me.”

“R-Really?” he asks, eyes wide.

I nod. “You guys are friends so I trust you. Just a, uh, heads up before tackling me or anything, alright?” I say with a small grin. 

He chuckles, the weird tension that was beginning to build dissipating. “So no surprise games of football.”

Chloe suddenly bursts through the doors, dressed head-to-toe in a Ladybug costume, and I almost don’t even recognize her.

“Thank you all for coming. You can go home now,” she yells as she claps to get everyone's attention.

I can’t hold in the groan that escapes me.  _ Great. _

She walks straight up to Ms. Nightingale, brimming with her usual confidence. “Your  _ "Ladybug" _ has arrived! So when does the shoot begin?”

“Chloé, everyone has to audition. You know that!” Adrien speaks up with a frown, but I don’t think I did? Or really Marinette. 

Not that I was going to say anything. 

“Oh yeah, that little formality,” she says flippantly as she stretches, before launching into a complicated looking dance with ease.

As everyone cheers, she says something about private classes but I tune her out. If she would keep her bragging to a minimum she could easily be Ladybug for the music video.

“You've definitely got enough talent for me,” Ms. Nightingale says. “But you and Cat Noir and Lapin Blanc have to be a good match, you see.”

Chloe looks at me with disgust before throwing herself at Adrien. “No problem! Adrikins and I have known each other since we were little! And Evan...well…”

Pinching the bridge of my nose with an agitated sigh, my willingness to be part of this drops even lower than before.  _ Which I would’ve thought was impossible until now. _

_ “ _ The son of the world's greatest fashion designer and the daughter of the Mayor of Paris-- that would be just perfect!” Mayor Bourgeois gushes, offstage, before his smile dims when looking at me. “And...Evan! I’m sure people will think we’re relatable to work with someone like that!”

I almost storm off the stage at his words.  _ Like what?  _ But I manage to reign in my growing agitation. Fighting the mayor of Paris would only cause trouble for Aunt Claire.

Ms. Nightingale frowns before heading over to Mr. Agreste’s assistant and kneeling down. “What do  _ you _ think, Gabriel?” she asks.

His thoughtful hum echoes through the dead silent lobby. “Artistically speaking, the young lady with ponytails would've been ideal, but it's time to start filming. We'll make do with Miss Bourgeois.”

“I trust you, Gabriel,” she says as she stands.

Chloe, still clinging to Adrien, pulls away with an excited squeal. “We're both going to be in a music video, Adrikins!”she hugs him again with a laugh “...Or should I say, Adri-cat! Get it?  _ Adri-cat _ ?”

The blonde laughs nervously. “Adri-cat, yeah…”

She looks at me with a glare. “And  _ you  _ can be the third-wheel!”

Officially reaching the end of my patience, I get ready to say something rude before Marinette’s yell cuts me off.

“Hey wait! I've changed my mind! I  _ do _ wanna be Ladybug!”

“Awesome! This will be the best video yet! Thank you, thank you, Marinette!” Ms. Nightingale cheers, rushing to Marinette and kissing her cheeks excitedly. Moving over to a fuming Chloe, she pats her back. “I'm really sorry, what's-your-name, but you can still be an extra in the video, if you're game!”

“What?!” she shouts angrily. “You want  _ me _ to be a mere... _ extra?! _ ” Storming away with her father in tow, she mutters indignantly the whole way.

Marinette is quickly swept away to the dressing room and I knead at my shoulder to try and massage away some of the lingering frustration from the Bourgeois family.

“I’m sorry about Chloe,” Adrien says with an apologetic smile.

I shake my head with a sigh, dropping my hand. “You don’t need to apologize for her behavior. I expect nothing less at this point.”

“She’s not all bad, I promise…”

I want both to call him foolish and exceedingly kind in the same breath. “Bullying and humiliating others aren’t things that make me  _ want  _ to know how she really is,” I state as I cross my arms. I was nowhere near an angel when I was younger, fighting and getting into trouble all the time, but I feel like I almost paled in comparison to her. 

_ Physical wounds healed a lot better than emotional ones after all. _

Absent mother and a pandering father-- it didn’t matter because it could only be used as an excuse for so long before it didn’t matter anymore.

The silence is tense and I groan internally. “I don’t want to bad mouth your friend, but just know that it’ll take a  _ lot _ for me to see her as anything else than cruel.”

“Yeah…” he sighs, and Marinette thankfully shows up to break up the atmosphere. 

The pop star helps her up to the stage and gathers the three of us as the spotlights turn on. “So, you're the  _ Heroes of Paris _ , right?”

Smiling nervously as I fiddle with my hands as the others answer just as awkwardly as I felt, she twirls away with a grin. 

“Okay, now follow me! The dance is simple, as you’ll see!”

The heat from my face only worsens as I try to stiffly follow her moves, the feeling of everyone watching me making me nauseous.

Marinette struggles alongside me and Ms. Nightingale motions to us with a twirl. “Your dance moves need to be synchronized if you can, so you'll need to hold each other by the hand.”

Shuffling away as my two friends clasps each other's hands as if giving a handshake, she laughs.

“Not like  _ that. _ Don't be shy!” she puts Adrien's left hand in Marinette's right, “Like lovers do. Give it a try!”

Stepping even more out of frame as Alya snaps a photo, my subtle escape is ruined when the star ushers me back to Marinette’s side and locks our hands together.

“This is so embarrassing…” I mumble, hiding my burning face in the palm of my hand.

“One final task,” she sings. “Put on the mask”

I freeze and mumble something about not seeing a mask, my own pathetic excuse mixing with Adrien’s and Marinette’s own. Though we all somehow manage to end with a,  _ “...nowhere to be found!” _

Everyone laughs and I cover my face once again, regretting agreeing to this at all. But at least my identity looked to still be safe.

“It's okay! I found them!” one of the staff shouts, and my hopes and dreams go down the drain as we’re handed our masks.

“Go ahead, put them on, you two. We've got a lot of singing and dancing to do!” Ms. Nightingale sings excitedly.

The three of us eye each other and I swallow anxiously. This was it. I was done for. Chat would hate me for hiding my identity, my friends would hate me for lying, Hawk Moth would no doubt find out and Aunt Claire and Madeleine wouldn’t be safe...

Closing my eyes, I bite back the tears threatening to gather in my eyes. I could only hope that my personality kept them from connecting the clues.

“I'm sorry,” Mr. Bourgeois interrupts loudly as he strolls in, and for the first (and probably last) time I’m actually relieved to see the father and daughter duo. “My administrative staff just realized you never submitted permit A38 as stipulated in the circular B65 that one can only get at counter C, third floor of City Hall, which is, alas, closed for renovations until August, which means you don't have a permit to shoot...anywhere in France, including Paris.”

He hands the heavy looking stack of paper to the singer with his nose upturned. 

“I...I don't understand!” she objects.

Chloe smirks as she struts up to her “It means no more dancing, no more singing today--” she grabs her mic and throws it off the stage-- “The nightingale can spread her wings, and fly away! Oh! Did you hear that? I made a rhyme! How talented am I?”

Ms. Nightingale throws the papers down and tearfully runs to her now broken mic. “No! The video needs to be shot here, in Paris, the capital of love, the city of the famous three! This ruins all of my plans! I'm so sorry, my beloved fans!” she cries before running away to her trailer.

While I’m relieved that my identity wasn’t accidentally revealed, the unneeded cruelty had me feeling a completely different way.

“ _ Rotzlöffel! _ ” I seethe, it taking everything in me not to start a physical fight with either of them.

“Excuse me?” she asks, whirling around to glare at me.

Gritting my teeth, I look around at everyone before exhaling through my nose. I had to get away before I exploded. “I’m outta here,” I grumble, hopping off the stage and quickly heading to the trailer my clothes were in. 

Slamming the door behind me, I immediately tear off the costume, frustration boiling underneath my skin. 

“Calm down, Evan. Remember to breathe,” a small voice squeaks, and I slide into the chair, shirt forgotten and pants not even buttoned. 

“I’m just  _ so  _ angry…” I hiss through my teeth, chest tight as I try to reign in my thundering emotions.  _ This was why Chat  _ couldn’t  _ love me. He deserved someone who could actually control themselves. _ Making a noise in the back of my throat, I sink into the chair and force my eyes closed. I thought I was finally over these stupid outbursts. That I was getting better.

As if reading my mind, the Kwami flops down in between my creased brows. “You’re okay, Evan, everyone gets angry. You realizing that you needed to disengage was really good!” he encourages, patting my forehead comfortingly. 

Sighing, I go slack in the chair and practice the breathing technique my therapist taught me.

_ In… _

_ Out… _

_ In… _

_ Out… _

Repeating the simple process until the tension seeps out of me, I put my hand over my chest as the pounding of my heart slows. I was okay. _This was okay._ _I got a little heated but didn’t say anything too bad...besides calling Chloe a brat._

A soft knock pulls me out of my head and Adrien calls out.

Summoning the strength to finish getting dressed, I open the door tiredly. Being angry was exhausting and I wanted nothing more than to just go home and sleep.

“Everything okay?” he asks, stepping into the trailer with a concerned look.

I sigh, shoulders sagging. “I’m okay now.”

“I’ll talk to Chloe,” he offers with a frown. “You guys might not get along but she doesn’t have to be so mean.”

_ Yeah, good luck with that _ . 

“And I’m sorry I didn’t stop my father from pressuring you into getting on stage. I know you don’t like a lot of attention but I didn’t back you up…”

“It’s fine, Adrien, really,” I interrupt, smiling lightly as I stretch my shoulders. “You don’t have to apologize for them. All I want to do is go home and take a nap or something.”

“If you wait I can give you a ride home.”

I shake my head as I say, “I rode with Mr. Lacroix.”

“He’s the one that actually sent me to talk to you. He said I’d make better company.” 

Furrowing my brows, I scratch the side of my head. “I guess, if that’s what he wants,” I answer with a nervous shrug. I’d have to work up the nerve to call and apologize for acting so unprofessional.

Nodding, he offers me a kind smile. “We can stop for ice cream or something on the way-- if you want I mean! No pressure!” he corrects quickly, face reddening.

Chuckling despite my morose mood, I lean on the back of my heels with a small grin. “I don’t mind as long as you’re buying.” 

“Of course!” he grins giddily. “Just give me five minutes to change!”

His excitement is a little infectious and I feel less tired as I exit the trailer. 

“Hey, Evan, are you alright?” Marinette asks worriedly the moment she sees me.

“Yeah...being in the music video had me really tense and I just sorta exploded,” I offer guiltily with an apologetic look.

She shakes her head hastily. “No, no! I felt the same way! It’s crazy that she does all this stuff.”

I sigh as I lean against the trailer with crossed arms. “I’m glad you played Ladybug, no matter how short it was,” I state, taking the opportunity to actually take in her appearance. “You look a lot like her.”

“ _ W-What? _ ” she drawls out with a laugh. “I don’t think I look like her at all!”

I hum, looking away suspiciously. Adrien possibly being Chat was already a stretch, so Marinette potentially also being a superhero was impossible. “What about Adrien? Do you think he played the part well?” I ask, subtly poking to see if I was the only one that noticed it.

She scoffs before pouting. “Adrien is a million times better than Chat Noir.”

“Eh,” I shrug, before laughing at her disgruntled look and poking her forehead. “I’m  _ kidding _ , I look forward to the wedding.”

Squeaking in embarrassment, she covers her face. Sighing dreamily, the boy of her dreams steps out of the trailer, dressed in his usual outfit.

“You ready to go?” he asks, an excited look in his eyes.

Nodding, I glance over at a flushed Marinette before an idea hits me. “How about we bring Marinette along?” I suggest, the both of them looking shocked. “I’ll even pay for her. We’ve all had a stressful day so it only makes sense we de-stress together.”

“Oh...I guess…” Adrien laughs with a stiff smile as he turns to the panicking girl. “So what about it, Marinette? Want to join us?”

She tenses, looking between him and I wildly as she stumbles out a response. “Uh...I-I...happy! I mean, uh, love you!-- too! I’d love to!” Nervous laughter bubbles out of her as she stiffly heads into the trailer, the door slamming behind her loudly.

“I think she’s excited to come,” I say with a chuckle, the faintest sound of her nervous babbling leaking out.

“Haha, yeah...more the merrier…” he trails off with an unenthusiastic laugh before staring down at the ground silently.

I tense, worry crawling up my spine. Did he think I was rude for inviting Marinette like that? I stop and bite the inside of my cheek.  _ I just wanted them to get along and give them both a chance to see what they were like one-on-one. _ Feeling the need to apologize, a loud voice cuts me off.

“Sing, dance or rhyme, or you'll be frozen in no time!” an Akumatized woman shouts, up on the catwalk near the stage.

Chloe and her father approach her, the blonde looking incredibly displeased. “What is she talking about? Dancing and making rhymes? And why not play the trumpet too, while you're at it--” she’s abruptly cut off as she turns into a shiny pink statue.

Holding in a gasp, I glance at Marinette and Adrien as they watch the scene unfold before quickly slipping away. Ducking out of view as panicked screams fill the area, I nod at Blann as he flies out of my bag. “Ready to show them the  _ real _ Lapin Blanc?” I ask, raising my bracelet as he spins excitedly before saying, “Blann, ears up!”

Sneaking out of the building, I stay out of view of the Akumatized woman as she cackles loudly from the roof. Snatching a kid and his mother up before her pink whip could touch them, I usher them inside. With a quick warning to stay hidden I overhear the villain shouting to Ladybug as they start fighting. 

“I can help you if you give me your akuma!” Ladybug shouts as they move to the ground.

“Yeah, Nightingale, where’s the fun in being Akumatized anyway?” I add as I slide next to her while staring down the villain with a good-natured smile.

She glares at us. “My name’s Frightningale now, and I won't let you take my akuma away. I like the new me, and I'm here to stay!” Charging at us, Chat lands behind her and trips her with his staff.

“Do you mind if  _ I _ join the dance?” he asks, leaning against his staff with a grin.

Frightningale sneers as she leaps onto the roof of the Grand Palais, shouting, “You're like all the others; but you can't silence me! I'm just trying to make the world better, can't you see?” She points at us haughtily. “Do you really think the group of you can win this battle through and through?”

“Two is always better than one, but three is the best!” Ladybug says with a determined smile as she looks at me and Chat. “I’ll take the left.”

We give her a salute before I tell Chat I’d go center and quickly hop up to meet the Akumatized villain. Charging at her as they attack from the sides, Frightningale maneuvers out of the way at the last minute and Ladybug's yoyo tangles around Cat staff. Narrowly avoiding tripping over the string, I skid to stop as Ladybug tells Chat to watch it.

Apologizing with a small laugh, he jumps up in the air to try once again. Clenching my tonfas, I head towards her, intent on taking out her leg, as Ladybug also throws her yoyo as well.

Easily dodging us once again, Ladybug’s yoyo crashes into Chat mid-air, tangling around him and his staff, and he crashes down on me before I could ready myself. The yoyo string gets caught around my wrist in the struggle and she quickly reels us down to her and out of reach of the rhyming villain. 

Scrambling to get up, Frightningale strikes the three of us with her whip. Looking at the pink aura covering all of us, I hold in a groan. I couldn’t sing or dance to save my life.

“Welcome to my musical show. I hope it will be your fatal blow!” she cackles and Ladybug has to stop Chat from rushing forward.

“Wait! Stay right here and dance, Or else you'll be frozen…” her arm starts to turn pink and harden, “uh, without a chance!” Her arm recovering, she begins wiggling stiffly in place with a nervous smile.

Chat looks down thoughtfully. “Yeah, you're right. We have to rhyme. Not so easy, um...all the time?” he adds questionably before copying Ladybug’s movements. “You too, bunny, don’t be a downer...or  _ otherwise you’ll give in to her power! _ ”

_ Nice save _ , I think with a nod as I reluctantly start to sway foot to foot rhythmically. 

Ladybug flings her yoyo but Frightningale knocks it away as she jumps down to us. “Stay in charge, Cat Noir; don't blow a fuse! Don't forget your dancing fight moves!” she says, looking at him expectantly. 

He purses his lips in confusion. “Dancing fight moves...?” he trails off before his eyes widen. “Like my Capoeira grooves!” Launching into a series of fluid, almost dance-like moves, he manages to fend her off until she flicks her whip.

“Why is Cat Noir so dumb? He doesn't even know fifty plus fifty is a sum!” Frightningale chuckles. 

Chat scoffs. “Yes I do, The dummy is you! It's--”

“Fifty plus fifty's a hundred and two!” Ladybug quickly cuts him off as she avoids her glowing whip.

“Your math is crazy. Count again, M'Lady.”

“Think about it, Chat? What, uh...really rhymes with...that...?” I offer, doing my best to try and rhyme. 

Ladybug nods. “He’s right, you know. Fifty plus fifty-- the sum doesn't rhyme. One more false move and you're trapped, big time!” she says as she dodges the whip.

“I almost made a serious boo-boo...but I didn't, thanks to you!”

Frightningale gets fed up and rushes at us, swinging her glowing whip. Dodging out of the way, we jump off the roof and quickly hide behind an abandoned bus.

“You think you three are being so clever, but soon you'll tire yourselves and be frozen forever!” she yells angrily, not spotting us as she stomps down the road.

Still swaying in place, Ladybug looks through the glass before turning to me and Chat. “It's not in our favor at a glance, because we constantly have to advance, while keeping up this song and dance. We can leave nothing to chance!”

“I agree. But what possible plan do you see?” Chat asks, kneeled next to me.

“Our last weapon can do her harm. It is my... _ Lucky Charm! _ ” she says, summoning a pair of...handcuffs? “What is this thrown our way? Handcuffs, I would say.”

“We know we have to stop her, but what solution do you offer?”

I groan, exhausted from all this dumb ryhming and sad attempts at dancing. “I’m sorry, but this is dumb. I’ll keep her attention so...uh, don’t twiddle your thumbs?” I manage to rhyme, standing to stretch my legs before darting out of hiding.

Humming a random tune as I bounce foot to foot, I waggle my fingers at her when she spots me.

“The bunny’s come out, but where’s your friends? Hopefully close, so they can see your end.”

I shrug, narrowly avoiding her glowing whip. If I wanted to keep her distracted  _ and  _ still be safe I’d have to think of a way to activate my Miraculous. The only problem was that I really,  _ really _ sucked at this rhyming stuff. Dodging another swing of her whip, I just give up on wasting precious focus and just do my best to quickly avoid her attacks while still humming.

Leading her away from the bus, my tone must be off because the tips of my fingers start to turn pink and harden. Panicking, I try to wipe it away as I hop up to the roof of the Grand Palais.  _ Out of all possible Akumatizations, it  _ had _ to be one that turned you into a statue if you didn’t sing and dance. _

Slipping inside through the skylight, I resort to mumbling an old german rhyme and that seems to do the trick, the pink receding alongside my panic. 

“Come on, bunny, sing me a song! It’ll be your last so don’t take long!”

I roll my eyes in annoyance. She was trying to taunt me into answering but I had to hold back for now.

The door suddenly burst open, Chat and Ladybug pressed side-by-side and I choose to ignore the flicker of jealousy that almost mocks me. 

Frightningale seethes as she moves away from them and towards the stage. “You can't bend the rules! Dancing tied up is cheating, fools!”

“When someone's akumatized, we never compromise,” Ladybug states, nodding at me as they head towards her.

“You're feeling unsteady. You know you've lost already!” Chat chimes as they head up the stage stairs.

Fighting her in perfect sync, I hurry to help and slide behind her, knocking my tonfa against the back of her knee as they shove her back. Grabbing her staff as she falls, I hold her in place as Chat’s readied Cataclysm dissolves the weapon away. Letting her go as Ladybug tosses the handcuffs in the air, I sigh in relief when the pink aura disappears around me. 

With Ladybug purifying the Akuma, Ms. Nightingale turns back to normal as we fist bump.

Looking around in confusion, Ladybug helps her stand. “Ladybug? And Lapin Blanc and Chat Noir! What are  _ you _ doing here?”

“You were akumatized by Hawk Moth; but everything's back to normal again,” Chat explains.

“I was saved by the three of you?! How amazing! Too good to be true!” she squeals as she twirls excitedly. 

“ _ And, _ ” Ladybug adds, “I have an idea how you can finish your video without anyone getting in your way!” Whispering in the star's ear with a smile, I notice Chat looking around curiously.

“Looking for something important?” I ask, leaning forward to peek up at him with a grin.

“Ah...more like  _ someone _ ,” he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck as his blush spread out from under his mask. 

Feeling my own face warm as my heart skips, I clear my throat and straighten up. “Looks like I better go, places to be, people to see. See ya next time, kitty,” I say with a wink before jumping out of the skylight above us. Though I sneak back in the building, entering a room on the second floor through the window. 

Phone ringing the moment I transform back, I answer it as I close the door behind me, either expecting my aunt or Mr. Lacroix. 

“Hey, Trouble,” a familiar voice greets cheerily and I almost think it’s Adrien before coming to my senses.

“Didn’t you just get done saving all of Paris?” I ask with a small grin, giddy that I was the first person he called.

“Yeah, but I’m a pro at that. So no big deal.” I can sense his smug smirk through the phone. “I’ve got a couple minutes until I have to transform back, so I figured I could grace you with my alluring presence. Since I haven’t seen you in  _ forever! _ ” 

I chuckle, warmth blooming in my chest. “You just saw me a couple days ago.”

“Like I said!  _ So long… _ ”

Doing my best not to laugh at his whining, I look over the railing and spot him still on the stage. “I’m still inside the Grand Palais, up on the second floor,” I say, unable to hold back a smile when he looks around wildly.

Eventually noticing me, he waves excitedly before telling me to wait there and quickly jumping up to reach me. 

“Hey--” 

Cutting me off with a kiss, his flushed, happy face makes my heart pound when he pulls away. “I’ve been wanting to do that  _ all _ day. You have no idea how hard it was to hold back.”

“Oh?” I quirk a brow, ignoring the way my heart flutters. “You think about me that much?” 

“Naturally! It’s almost embarrassing at this point,” he states, looking away dramatically.

I lace our fingers together with a chuckle. “Aw, poor kitty, having me stuck in his head all day,” I coo, even though my insides are a jumbled mess of love and affection. 

He turns to me, smirking playfully. “I never said it was a bad thing…”

The thin guise of casual indifference shatters and my face burns hot enough I seriously worry that my skin might melt off. Tugging him into me, I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him tight. 

“Trying to hide your embarrassment, huh?” he teases as his arms circle around my back.

Making a noncommittal noise, I nuzzle into his neck and just take a moment to breathe him in. The previously unnoticed tension drains from my body and I sigh pleasantly. See? Now that I had the actual Chat Noir in my arms it was obvious they couldn’t be the same person...right?

“Hey, no need to squeeze so tight, I’m not going anywhere,” he says with a laugh and I quickly relax my arms with an apology. “So what’s got my darling trouble-maker all distracted when he should be focusing on me right now?” he questions, leaning just far enough away to look at me properly. 

Looking away guiltily as I furrow my brows, I wanted to ask, but could I really bring myself to actually ask who he really was behind the mask? I mean, even if he  _ was _ Adrien-- as impossible as it was-- he wouldn’t be able to tell me anyway. We weren’t allowed to tell people, and if it  _ did _ turn out to be him…

“Chat…” I start with a whisper, looking at him as nervous dread twists up my spine, “are you…”

A loud bleeping interrupts me and I’m truthfully relieved. Letting him pull away, I can’t help but to grin a little at his pouting face. “Looks like you’ve gotta go, hm?” I cup his cheek, staring deeply into his eyes, as if hoping the mask will disappear and ease my ridiculous worries. 

“I’ll stop by later,” he sighs, placing his hand on top of mine with a soft smile. “So be expecting a million kisses later.”

Huffing in amusement, I lean over to kiss him before stopping myself and pulling away. “I, uh, I’ll see you later then,” I say with a forced laugh, almost leaning over the railing to put some distance between us. 

With a confused frown he steps away, thankfully not pressing for an answer. “Alright...I’ll try and stop by before it gets too dark.”

Letting out a sigh of relief as I watch him go, I grip the railing tightly as I bite the inside of my cheek.

“What was that about?” Blann whispers in my ear, head poking out of my hood.

“What if he’s Adrien?” I ask lowly, cheek aching from my teeth. It couldn’t be him.  _ It couldn’t. _

“I thought it didn’t matter who he was under the mask?”

“It doesn’t. It just…”

A coppery taste fills my mouth as I stare down at the empty stage. 

“ _ It just has to be anyone other than him… _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me - Planning on writing a normal length chapter  
> Also me - Did you say 9,000 words?
> 
> So, despite being a day late, here's Frightingale's chapter done. I feel like Evan is observant enough that he'd be alarmed at how alike Adrien and Chat look. Him actually believing his instincts is a completely different matter though. And then the whole "betraying Marinette" thing definitely won't have him admitting anything soon. 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter's art --> [Finally a visual on how some people look](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/637172190748524544/how-i-like-to-think-madeleine-claire-and-lacroix)


	19. Short - Late Night Visit

“I’m sure you’re worrying over nothing,” Blann comforts for the dozenth time from his place nestled in the crook of my neck.

“ _I know,_ ” I groan, hand covering my eyes as I lean against the back of the couch. “It’s just…”

“Just that you think Adrien might actually be Chat Noir, the love of your life?”

I grimace. “Don’t say it like that. It’s a pretty terrifying thought.”

“I know, I know,” he sighs, ear flicking against my neck lightly. “But, even if he would be, would it be that bad? You guys get along really well.”

“It’d be _horrible_ ,”I state quickly, stomach dropping at the mere thought. “I’d be betraying Marinette and I’d rather die than do that.”

“What about Adrien? Doesn’t he get a say in anything? It _would_ be his choice in the end, _if he was actually Chat Noir I mean._ ”

“He could do better than me,” I sigh. “And he hasn’t done anything that shows he might like me anyway.”

Blann groans loudly. “Someone could confess to you and you still wouldn’t get it.”

I pull my hand away from my face. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“It _means_ that you’re so ridiculously oblivious to romance that it’s almost alarming.”

Furrowing my brows, I glance down at the bright green paw print on my hoodie. “I...would you tell me if it was him if I asked?”

“Are you?” he questions neutrally.

My fingers clench the fabric in my hands as I tense. “No,” I finally answer quietly, closing my eyes with a sigh. “The only person who should tell me who Chat is, is Chat himself.”

Blann laughs softly and pats my hair. “You worry too much. Just live in the moment and have fun.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I sigh. There’d be a lot of complications and heartbreak if Adrien and Chat were the same person. Someone would get hurt no matter what in that scenario. “It wouldn’t make sense for Adrien to be Chat anyway, I carried him off when Gorizilla attacked...but I don’t know…”

Groaning, I slide down into the couch with a shake of my head. “This is all so stupid! I mean, Alya was positive Chloe was Ladybug and she still ended up being wrong. So hunches and gut feelings are useless when it comes to this stuff…”

“Then why are you worrying so much about it?” the rabbit Kwami asks, now resting on the top of my head.

Groaning again, I dig my palms into my eyes frustratedly. “I don’t know! And it’s killing me that _now_ is when I start to question. Things were almost simpler when I was one-sidedly in love with him…”

“Don’t say that!” Blann shouts angrily. “You’ve spent countless nights crying yourself to sleep, certain that he’d never feel the same! And now that he does you want things to go back to how they used to be?!”

Laughing mirthlessly, I sigh as a frown pulls at the corners of my mouth. He was right. I didn’t actually want things to go back to before, when I had to pretend that I didn’t like him and that watching him flirt with Ladybug didn’t hurt. I _liked_ that he always looked so excited to see me, that he was so ready to hold my hand and just be close.

“Look, Evan,” Blann starts softly, paw patting my head comfortingly, “you saw Chat and Adrien side-by-side once, so instead of worrying endlessly if Chat Noir is actually Adrien, just remember that simple fact.”

“You’re...you’re right,” I sigh, hands falling loosely to my side. My paranoia was just that, _paranoia._ Maybe I was just looking for a reason not to acknowledge how close we were now, how we were basically dating at this point.

Hearing a familiar tapping at my balcony door, Blann hides as Chat walks in with a grin.

“I’m home, darling,” he sings, strolling over to me and falling unceremoniously on the couch next to me with a groan. “You wouldn’t believe the day I had at work.”

Despite being a little on edge, I still chuckle. “Rough day at the office?”

“Is there any other kind?” he sighs tiredly, though the corner of his mouth lifting betrays the mood.

With him threading our fingers together, I hum contently before almost flinching away when I remember why I was tense in the first place.

Tightening his hold, he shifts and lays heavily against me. “What about you? Heard things got a little tense earlier before the Akuma attack.”

“Oh.” I blink. “It...went about as well as I thought it would’ve. I’m...really bad in front of cameras and I think it got to me more than I realized…”

“Why agree to it then?” he questions as his tail wraps loosely around my leg.

“I guess I just didn’t want to disappoint anyone,” I answer after a pause before shaking my head. “But that’s not important. How’d you even know I was onstage anyway?”

“W-Well, you know, a hero’s gotta have eyes and ears everywhere,” he says while averting his gaze with a small laugh.

Looking at him with narrowed eyes, I bite the inside of my cheek anxiously. It was just my paranoia right? “Chat…” I start softly, heart thumping loudly in my ears as my fingers dig into my pants. “If you were…I mean…” A swirl of anxiety sweeps through me and I can’t even finish speaking. Taking a shaky breath as his hand squeezes mine encouragingly, I look him deeply in the eyes.

_If_ Chat was actually Adrien under the mask, what would I do? I’d have to...I’d have to end things, right? Because Marinette liked Adrien so, _so_ much and I couldn’t be with him in good conscience. But then...did I even like Adrien like that? I bite the inside of my cheek roughly. It didn’t matter how I felt about Adrien _because_ _it was impossible for him and Chat to be the same person_. It didn’t matter if they looked and sounded alike, they were both in the same place at the same time during the Gorizilla attack and I had to take solace in that simple fact.

_So_ why _was I still so hung up on it?_

“Lookin’ a little spacey there, Trouble,” Chat says softly, titling his head up to look at me from his spot against my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. I guess I’m just more tired than I first thought.” Closing my eyes, I lean my head on the back of the couch. I felt stupid, freaking out over something impossible. I’d be able to tell if they were the same person anyway.

“You sure?” he presses, still glued to my side.

“Yeah,” I take a deep breath and nod with a small grin, “seeing you gave me a burst of energy I really needed.”

He smirks, cheeks tinted a beautiful red. “Glad I have that effect on you.”

“Of course you do,” I scoff, pulling him close and burying my face in his hair. His familiar scent calming me, I squeeze him close and force myself to let go of my uneasiness. I was determined to enjoy my quiet time with Chat.

Chuckling lightly, he wraps his arms around my back and nuzzles against me, something Adrien would _never_ do. “You really like my hair, don’t you?” he asks teasingly, voice muffled by my collar bone.

Humming in the back of my throat, one of my hands thread through the golden strands softly. “It’s really soft and smells good,” I answer honestly, enjoying the way his hair tangles around my gloveless fingers.

“And here I was thinking I could rock the bald look.”

My hand stalls before I huff in amusement. “I wouldn’t mind. It’s you after all, so you’d look beautiful no matter what.”

Feeling him fluster, I grin to myself as my own face warms. See? Adrien would never react like that.

Shifting back, Chat stares at me with narrowed eyes before leaning forward and kissing me heatedly.

My heart skips before I quickly kiss back, the hand in his hair sliding to hold the back of his head snugly. Losing myself in the sensation of his lips as his tail tightens around my lower leg, I only take the briefest break to take a deep breath before leaning back into him, hungry for more.

Ending up boxing him in against the arm of the couch, a deep, loud purr rumbles from his chest and I pull away, a remark on the tip of my tongue, before he pulls me back down. Laughing breathlessly, the hand not tangled in his hair molds against the small of his back and a thrill of excitement shoots up my spine at the warmth soaking into my open palm.

“Evan,” Chat sighs breathlessly as he pulls away, grip on the back of my shirt tight as he stares at me with lidded eyes.

Struggling to regain any semblance of thought, the sight of his bright red face almost has me leaning back in to kiss him.

“Come on, Trouble,” he chuckles, still a little breathless as he blocks my mouth with the palm of his hand. “As much as I would love to kiss each other senseless, it doesn’t feel right.”

_D-Doesn’t feel right?_

Quickly pulling away as I try not to wince at the stinging in my chest at his words, I slide across the couch to give him space. Biting the inside of my cheek as anxiety swirls in my stomach, I can’t bring myself to look at him.

“Hey, don’t worry, Trouble,” he coos, taking my balled up hand in his own and kissing it. “I just...I’ve thought a lot about it...and, well, I really like you. _Like a lot._ And doing this--” he waves his arm around-- “feels dishonest. I feel like everytime I’m with you that I’m lying to you and keeping secrets.”

I look at him in alarm. “I don’t care about knowing your real identity, you know that,” I say quickly, pit weighing painfully in my stomach.

He smiles lightly, glancing down at our locked hands. “I know that, and I’m grateful for it. It’s just...I’ve thought a lot and I really want to be with you. Not just as Chat Noir, but my everyday self as well.” Looking me straight in the eyes, his resolve makes me tense. “I _want_ you to love the me behind the mask as much as you do the me with it on.”

“But you’re not allowed to tell anyone your secret identity…” I say nervously, fighting the urge to cower away. Kissing him was a lot easier than talking about revealing deep, hidden secrets.

“I know,” he nods, “and that’s why I’m going to quit pretending that I don’t have feelings for you when I’m not Chat Noir.”

“What?” I ask dumbly.

He grins confidently. “If I can’t tell you who I am, then I’ll just make you realize it with my actions.”

“Y-You mean as civilian you?” I question, throat tight as the possibilities race through my mind.

“Yep! I plan to make you fall for both sides of me so you won’t have an excuse to run away,” he states, grin widening as he leans close.

“Won’t end up jealous of yourself, will you?” I joke, trying to ease the crackling air around us.

His expression falters before he narrows his eyes playfully. “I’ll try not to, but you’re not allowed to like the everyday me more, alright? I’d hate to have to fight him.”

I snort in amusement, unable to help myself. “Please don’t beat yourself up.”

“Hmm, no promises,” he says after a small pause. “ _I’m a jealous kitty after all._ ”

Tension easing a bit from my shoulders, I bite the inside of my cheek. “I still get to kiss you right?” I wouldn’t want to give those up anytime soon.

He lips curl into a smirk as he leans even closer. “You’d have a hard time stopping me.”

Then, to prove his point, he brushes his lips against mine briefly before slipping away and standing. “I better go before I get greedy again and end up like earlier,” he says, throwing me a wink as he makes a point to lick his lips. “You better prepare for a pincer attack, Evan, cause I fully plan on making you fall madly in love with me again.”

Blowing me a kiss before leaving, I’m left dumbstruck as I stare out at the balcony.

“Wonder what ended up getting him all fired up,” Blann muses, out of hiding.

“I...I don’t know,” I manage to say. “I thought everything was going fine as is?”

The small Kwami hums. “Well, all I know is that you better be prepared. ‘Cause Chat Noir’s are known for not giving up, no matter the obstacle.”

I gulp, a little intimidated. _But at least I didn’t have to worry about Adrien..._

_Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just a short this time, since I felt they needed some one-on-one time again. 
> 
> Now, for some not so good news; I've been in a bit of a depressed mood lately and am struggling to actually pump myself up to write like I usually do. It's nothing big, but I think it'd be best for me to take a small break since life has me so stressed I want to cry sometimes. I don't want to make excuses but I really do feel like I'd start dreading writing compared to how much I usually enjoy it. So my plans are to try and pull myself out of this funk and hopefully post again after Christmas. 
> 
> Sorry if this is a little heavy, but it didn't feel right to just leave when so many of you look forward to my weekly updates. I fully plan to continue after a couple weeks and I hope all of you have a nice holiday.
> 
> I did actually manage to draw something this week though --> [Evan just wanted to make-out bro](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/637723503198650368/me-setting-the-bread-crumbs-for-future-angst-and)


	20. Troublemaker

Flipping absentmindedly through one of my old photography magazines, I glance at the time on my phone. I still had a half hour until the TV show Marinette’s family was going to be on came on. Their bakery was supposed to appear on some show called _Fill My Shoes_ and she sounded really excited for it.

Focusing back on reading, my phone rings a moment later and Adrien’s name lights up the screen. Answering it with a hello as I lean back in my chair, I ignore the swirl in my stomach at his voice. Ever since last week I’ve been hyper aware of just how much he sounded like Chat.

“Hey, Evan,” he greets excitedly. “I know you’re planning on watching that show about Marinette’s bakery and I was wondering if you’d want to, uh...” he trails off, and mumbles something heatedly away from the receiver before continuing, “if maybe you’d want to come over and watch it at my place?”

“Your place?” I echo, confused. No one was ever allowed over his house.

“Yeah! Father said he would let you come over if he could talk to you!”

_Mr. Agreste, huh?_ “Why?”

“Probably just wants to make sure you’re _“good enough to be friends with my son”_ or something,” he says sarcastically, and I can picture him rolling his eyes.

Humming quietly, I stare up at the ceiling. I didn’t really like Mr. Agreste. It was more of a gut feeling, but the way he treated Adrien certainly didn’t help matters.

“This is the first time he’s agreed to let someone come over…” he trails off with a small laugh.

Groaning internally, because I wasn’t cruel enough to turn him down when he was so obviously excited, I ignore Blann’s knowing grin as I sit up. “Do you want me to bring anything?”

“That means you’ll come?” he asks with a gasp.

“Yeah,” I answer, grinning at how amazed he sounded. “Watching stuff is always better with friends anyway.”

“Great! I’ll, uh, I’ll wait for you at the gate!”

I chuckle at his eagerness as he hangs up the moment he finishes speaking. The moments when he got excited and forgot about his problems was the best. He sounded more like Adrien instead of _Adrien Agreste_. Maybe also a bit like Cha--

Slamming that line of thought shut quickly, I frown to myself and stand. I wouldn't think about something so ridiculous. There were over two million people in Paris _alone_ , so someone resembling someone else wasn’t impossible.

“Hey, hey, you better get ready for your _date_ ,” Blann teases with a giggle, pulling me out of my worrying thoughts.

Poking his forehead as I pass by to grab my hoodie, I laugh when he latches onto the back of my head.

“Are you _still_ worried about him being Chat?” he questions, more serious now.

Furrowing my brows, I shake my head. “No…” I trail off, trying to convince not only Blann but also myself.

The rabbit Kwami laughs softly and pats my hair. “You worry too much. Just live in the moment and have fun.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I sigh while slipping on my hoodie. I couldn’t _help_ but worry. But I wouldn’t let my paranoia destroy my friendship with Adrien, it was one of the few I had. Sighing, I pocket my phone before heading out the door, leaving my camera bag as Blann hides in my hood.

After a quick pit-stop in the bathroom I continue downstairs and greet Aunt Claire.

“Hey, sweetie, going somewhere?” she asks pleasantly, tending to the flowers on the display shelf.

I nod with a small smile. “Yeah, Adrien invited me over to hang out.”

Almost immediately I realize my mistake in telling her, a knowing grin spreading across her face as she giggles. “Well then, tell Adrien I said hello-- Oh! And tell him I said thank you for buying all those flowers a while ago. He left in such a hurry that I wasn’t even able to give him his receipt.”

“Flowers?” I question out loud. “When did he buy those?”

She hums thoughtfully. “A couple weeks ago, I can’t exactly remember when…”

“It’s okay, I just didn’t know he liked flowers is all,” I offer, intent on not paying any more mind to it.

“I don’t think they were for him.” She covers her mouth with a giggle. “You should’ve seen him! All flustered and nervous, coming to the counter wanting three dozen roses.”

I freeze, eyes widening. “R-Roses?” I choke out as my hands sweat from inside my gloves.

“At first I thought they might be for you, but you never said anything…”

“N-no,” I shake my head frantically, shoving the rising suspicion down. _It was a coincidence._ “He didn’t give anything like that to me.”

She frowns dejectedly. “Oh, too bad then...it would've made a cute surprise.”

I agree with a nervous laugh before excusing myself and trying not to dwell on her words. Coincidences happen, and this was just another one to add to the growing pile.

Biting the inside of my cheek as I near the front gate of the Agreste Mansion, I shake my head and shove away my paranoia once again. _Not now, Evan._

“Hey!” Adrien’s excited voice calls, gate opening before I even reach it. Meeting me halfway, with his bodyguard close behind, his grin almost blinds me in its intensity. “I’m so glad that you could come! I have a bunch of snacks and drinks ready up in my room.”

Unable to keep my smile hidden at his excitement, I admonish my earlier thoughts as I let him drag me inside. Hand wrap tightly around mine, he starts pulling me up the stairs before someone clearing their throat stops him.

“Your father wants to speak to him first, Adrien,” the woman states, eyeing us cooly.

“But _Nathalie_ ,” he groans before her steely gaze makes him sigh and drop my hand. “Fine. I’ll wait--”

“In your room,” she finishes, no room for argument.

Sighing again, he frowns before smiling apologetically. “Don’t be afraid to leave if he makes you uncomfortable.”

Frowning as I reluctantly follow Mr. Agreste’s assistant, she leads me inside his office and, after alerting him to my arrival, closes me inside with the older man.

“So...Mr. Mercier, correct?” he questions, cold eyes fixing themselves on me as he looks up from his computer.

Tensing, I nod stiffly as I resist the urge to look away. It felt like approaching the enemy and I didn’t want to give him any openings to attack first.

“Adrien has spoken highly of you. He practically begged me to let you sleep over after the music festival was over.” His glare hardens. “So I’ll only ask you once; _what are your intentions with my son?_ ”

Intentions? “I don’t _want_ anything from him,” I answer truthfully, despite the nervous pounding of my heart. All I wanted was to just be friends.

“Hm. You’ll excuse me if I don’t quite believe that.”

A swirl of indignation rises in my stomach at his condescending tone. “Then I’m sorry to disappoint, sir. I don’t have anything besides friendly intentions.”

He narrows his eyes. “I see.” Turning away, he stands stiffly with his back turned to me. “You know, Evan, you’re quite the troublemaker. Fighting on the first day of school, regularly arguing with Miss Bourgeois...none of that makes me thrilled that you’re hanging around my son.”

I look down guiltily. Of course that was the first thing people thought of me as.

“But, imagine my surprise when _Gilbert_ , of all people, decided to take you under his wing as a protege. Quite bemusing if I think about it.”

I bristle at his tone. “Mr. Lacroix is an amazing teacher. He’s taught me so many different things about the in's-and-out's of photography,” I say quickly, not willing to stand idle at his almost mocking words.

“Indeed,” he hums as he turns back to me. “Though he’s quite the taskmaster, isn’t he? He used to be so vapid when we were young, completely different from how he is now.”

“I-I’m not here to gossip, sir. I’m here to hang out with Adrien,” I cut in, despite the weight of his stare weighing me down. Mr. Lacroix’s life was his own and I didn’t deserve to hear about it from a second party.

He falls silent, his cold expression not giving anything away until he finally utters a barely audible, “I see.”

With the silence almost suffocating me, I hide my trembling hands behind my back as I force myself to stand tall. I wouldn’t let him know just how uncomfortable he made me. I’ve dealt with this kind of silent scare tactic before and I wouldn’t buckle under the pressure of it ever again.

“Deceptively bold, aren’t you?” he finally says, humor _almost_ tinging his voice. “Too meek to defend yourself but oh so willing to do so for others.” His smile does nothing to quell the simmering tension subtly filling the room as he takes a step forward.

Wanting to hastily scramble back, away from his imposing presence, I grit my teeth and stand my ground. Adrien’s excitement about hanging out was the only thing keeping me steadfast. I refused to allow myself to disappoint him by being scared off by his father.

A small beat of silence passes before his face muscles relax slightly. “I would usually forbid someone like you to hang out with my precious son, but I appreciate how protective you can be over him when he’s in trouble.” Twisting his computer screen to face me before I could ask, multiple different shots of the time in the subway on the day Gorizilla attacked litter the bright screen.

“I’m willing to make an exception, you see,” he continues stoically, “but only if you continue to be a non-problem for me. Adrien doesn’t need any untoward influence in his life after all.”

I bite my tongue. The only _untoward influence_ in his life was all the adults that tried to micro-manage his life. But I wouldn’t say that, because making Mr. Agreste hate me would only lead to trouble for both me and Adrien. So, I take the thinly veiled insult with a practiced acceptance, one of the many learned tactics from living with my mother.

“Nice to see we’re on the same page, Evan. Just remember--I have no problem cutting frayed strings if they prove problematic.”

His obviously fake smile sends a chill up my spine and my hands itch to grab at my non-existent tonfas for protection. No matter the cool indifference he maintained, the threat was obvious and loud. “Don’t worry, sir,” I force out, keeping my voice even as to not betray the pounding of my heart. “The last thing I’d want is to get any of my friends in trouble.”

Silence falls, his scrutinizing stare only putting me more on edge, until he makes a noise and turns away from me with a dismissive wave. “You may go. I’m sure Adrien is waiting with bated breath.”

Watching him for the briefest moment, I quickly leave before he could change his mind. Passing by his assistant as I head up the stairs, I nod politely to Adrien’s bodyguard as I enter his room.

Jumping up off the couch and hastily shoving something in his shirt, the blonde grins at me. “I was worried father scared you off!”

With his familiar presence calming me, I shake off the last of my tension with a small grin. “No, he actually said he was okay with us hanging out.” _Though not before insulting me._

“Really?” he asks, eyes wide in shock.

I nod. He didn’t need to know the finer details of the chilly reception.

“You really are amazing…” he sighs, an almost dreamy look crossing his face.

Clearing my throat as my face warms, I glance at the TV. “I didn’t miss the intro, did I?” I ask, a little worried.

“No, you made it just in time,” he says as he sits down. Patting the spot next to him, he grins with reddened cheeks. “I really am glad father let you come over. He’s never agreed before so I was surprised when he said you could.”

I hum, settling further into the couch. He most likely just wanted to interrogate me and jumped at the opportunity. “I was hoping to hang out with you again anyway, so it all worked out,” I state as I flash him a friendly grin.

He lets out a tittering laugh as his face darkens. “M-Me too! I actually wanted to invite you over after the festival, but you sounded busy over the phone. Not to mention the Akuma attack that you were involved in,” he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

“I would’ve still come over,” I state quickly as I face him. “You don’t have to be worried about inconveniencing me or anything, we’re friends after all.”

He looks equally despondent and thrilled, the expression melding oddly on his face. “I...I appreciate it, Evan,” he says with a smile, a tinge of some form of frustration underneath it.

Choosing to ignore it, I return the smile before turning back to the TV just as the show starts.

“Welcome to _Fill My Shoes!_ You're joining us live in a new episode, and our guest today is the one and only Jagged Stone! Filling the shoes of... _a baker!_ ” the host greets energetically as the rock star appears on screen.

“Yo, Rockers!”

“And a big thanks to Tom Dupain for having us here in his bakery, the best in Paris, I might add.”

Marinette’s dad peeks at the camera with a nervous chuckle before awkwardly saying hello.

“Looks like there’s someone almost as bad as Lapin Blanc when it comes to being filmed,” Adrien quips offhandedly.

Mildly offended, I can’t even argue with him. Because _I really was horrible on camera_. Not all of us were naturally charismatic like him and Chat after all.

Watching Jagged chop a slab of dough with his hands, Mr. Dupain frowns. “No, no! You have the right energy, Jagged. You just need to be gentle.” Remembering the camera, he stiffens back up and waves nervously before taking over kneading the dough.

Feeling something bump into my hand that was laying on the couch, I glance down to see Adrien’s fingers pressed lightly against my own. Peeking up at him, his face dusted red while his eyes were still trained on the TV, I carefully shift my hand away to give him more room. I didn’t want him feeling like I was crowding him.

Focusing back on the TV as the blonde grumbles something faintly to himself, the host slips in between Mr. Dupain and Jagged Stone. “So Jagged, how does it feel to fill the baker's shoes today?” he asks.

“It's awesome! Check out this edible guitar I made from scratch--” Jagged pulls out a bread guitar and mimes playing it-- “This is so rock 'n' roll!” Pulling Mr. Dupain into singing with him about baking, I chuckle at the bewildered look of the host sandwiched between them.

“Yo, Marinette! My favorite little lady, come over and rock out with us!” he calls out of view, the camera switching over to a hesitant Marinette.

“There’s Marinette,” I say with a grin, leaning up excitedly as she joins them with a nervous wave.

“It’s so cool she gets to hang out with Jagged Stone,” Adrien says, and I nearly jolt in surprise when his arm presses up against my left one casually.

_Ah, this must be because I told him I was okay with him touching me last time,_ I think after a moment of confusion. With his warmth seeping into my hoodie, I ignore the itching in the back of my brain. If I dwelled on the _familiarity_ of it I’d only panic unnecessarily.

“It's so cool that we get to spend the day together. Marinette's really talented, Alec. She did the artwork for my latest album, and she's only in high school!” Jagged Stone enthuses, and I resolutely focus back on the screen. I was here to hang out with a friend while showing my support.

“Wow, impressive!” the host says excitedly. “A true family of artists. A talented young designer and a gifted patissier. By the way, what're you gonna bake for us today, Tom?

He flounders for a brief second. “Uh...how about some chocolate croissants? Can you grab a bag of flour please, dear?

“Sure, Dad!” Marinette says happily, before clumsily knocking over a paddle. Quickly picking it up, the bag of flour lifts in the air and spills all over the Rockstar.

Wincing at the mishap, I expect an angry reaction, only for him to grin and laugh.

“Hey, look! I look like a ghost! Rock and Boo-Hoo!”

The host puts his arm around Jagged Stone with a smile. “Making pastries is obviously no piece of cake! Stay tuned! We'll be right back after this commercial break!”

WIth a commercial now playing, I lean back on the couch with a small chuckle. “Looks like she’s clumsy as always, even on live TV.”

“That’s Marinette for you,” Adrien agrees with a laugh, still pressed lightly against my arm.

Not wanting to ruin the good mood by commenting on just how close he was, I move just the slightest bit away. Being close to someone was one thing, but snuggling up to someone that wasn’t ( _and_ _he wasn’t!_ ) Chat didn’t seem right.

“Marinette looked great today, didn’t she?” I ask to break the silence. And also hopefully help her out.

He shifts beside me, the briefest frown flickering across his face. “She looked okay, the same as always.” He shrugs, his sudden indifference actually a little shocking.

“O-Oh, I thought she looked nice…” I trail off awkwardly, feeling bad for her.

He quickly sits up and grabs my forearm. “N-Not in a mean way! I just...don’t pay that much attention to how she looks all the time,” he says panickedly before quietly adding, “not like you.”

I blink dumbly. Not like me? “Do I...look bad?” I question hesitantly, suddenly self-conscious of the way I looked. I knew I was a little disheveled most of the time…

“No!” he objects hastily with a shake of his head. “I meant that...well, you know…” he flushes brightly as he looks away, “I just think you look good all the time. And that I like that you smell a little bit like lavender flowers...something like that?…”

“Oh,” I breathe out in relief. “That’s good. I think you look nice too, if it means anything,” I add with a small smile. But I’m sure he knew that already.

“R-Really?” he asks with wide-eyes as his face reddens even more.

“Of course. I’ve always thought you were super photogenic, even before we became friends.”

A frown flickers across his face before he hides it with a grin. “Nice to know you’ve always found me attractive.”

My face threatens to warm at his words before suspicion quells it. It was exactly like something Chat would say…

“And we're back on the air with Jagged Stone filling the shoes of a baker! Let's see how this rockstar cleans off all that flour.”

Swallowing my suspicions as I turn back to the TV as the host speaks, I freeze at the familiar sight of Marinette’s room.

_Oh no._

Focusing on Jagged Stone as he checks out the multiple pictures of Adrien on her wall, I sit up straight and glance at the blonde worriedly. Maybe they wouldn’t say anything?

“Hey, there are more photos of this dude than of me! I think the baker's daughter got a little crush,” the rockstar says with a wink, all my hopes dying along with it.

And then the camera zooms in, to really rub salt in the wound.

Noticing Adrien’s shocked expression, I hastily clear my throat. “U-Um, looks like she’s a real fan of your modeling, huh?” I say with a nervous laugh, sweat beginning to bead at my temples.

“Y-Yeah…”

I swallow. He was obviously creeped out (rightly so if I was being honest) and it looked like I’d have to take one for the team if I didn’t want him to think she was weird. “I, uh, I have a picture of you too, you know!” I force out, throat tightening in protest. _Marinette really owes me big time for this._

“You do?” he questions after a beat, eyes still wide as the show continues on, forgotten by the both of us.

Nodding, I grip at the fabric of my jeans nervously. “Y-Yeah. You were in one of my photography magazines and I thought the lighting and composition looked amazing so I ripped it out and hung it up.” I quickly wave my hands. “Though this was before I knew you! Once I actually met you, I took it down and stuffed it in one of my drawers. So, uh, please don’t think too badly of Marinette just yet. She just...uh...she’s just a huge fan of your modeling… _?_ ”

Falling eerily quiet, he has me on the edge of my seat before he smirks, a very Chat-like expression. “So…” he drawls out, a surprising amount of haughtiness oozing out of him. “You really _are_ a fan then?”

Before I could explain, Marinette’s frantic voice explodes out of the TV. “What're you guys doing in here?!”

“I'm sorry, Marinette; I couldn't find the restroom,” someone says off screen.

“Hey Marinette, you want me to sign this poster of me?” Jagged Stone interrupts, the camera switching to him before quickly back to Marinette.

“No! I just need everyone to leave! And you, stop filming!” she demands the cameraman, before looking at someone off screen. “Penny, do something!”

Penny, who I recognized as Jagged Stone’s manager, narrows her eyes at everyone in the room. “You heard the lady,” she says, beginning to usher everyone towards the door.

With a car commercial suddenly coming on, I stare unblinkingly at the TV. “That was, uh…”

“Yeah…” Adrien echoes, the both of us mystified at the abrupt chaos as he lightly jokes, “Good thing your aunt wasn’t chosen, huh?”

Nodding, I lean back on the couch. “Yeah, she would’ve lost her mind if they went and filmed anywhere other than the shop.”

A small beat of silence passes before I pull out my phone. Marinette was no doubt freaking out right now. “Do you mind if I call to check on her real quick?” I ask, shuffling off to the corner of his room when he nods.

The phone rings a couple times before a mumbled hello has me perking up.

“Hey, Marinette,” I greet softly. “How are things over there? We saw the broadcast.”

“It’s horrible!” she groans, just as panicked as I thought she’d be.

I grimace, quickly trying to soothe her. “It’s not _that_ bad. Mistakes happen all the time so I’m sure no one will remember it by tomorrow.

“Don’t lie to me! My life is over! Over I tell you! _Over!!_ ”

Flinching away from the receiver at her booming wail, I catch Adrien’s curious eye before going back to the call.

“But...but maybe Adrien didn’t see it at least! He’s always busy so he probably missed it, right? _Right?_ ” she pleads.

Glancing back at the blonde on the couch, I clear my throat as I awkwardly tell her, “Uh, he sorta did…”

A tense moment passes before a loud shriek from the other side of the line leaves my ears ringing.

“This is a disaster, _a disaster_...a total disaster…”

Worried by her broken mumbling, I bite the inside of my cheek. It sounded like she was already in the throes of a panic attack. “I’m coming over okay? Keep taking steady breaths and I’ll be there in less than five minutes. See if you can get your mom or something, okay?”

More panicked mumbling is my only answer and I reluctantly hang up the phone. “Hey, I’ve gotta--”

“Go, right?” Adrien finishes, smiling wistfully.

His reaction causes something in my chest to clench, the look so familiar that an apology is already on the tip of my tongue. “I…” I catch myself and shake my head. She sounded like she needed a friend. “Marinette sounded rough and I’m a little worried.”

“Yeah,” he sighs, his dejected look making me cringe.

“I’ll make it up to you though!” I offer quickly, pleading mentally.

He stares at me before smiling fondly. “You always do.”

Smiling in relief, my eyes shift to the TV behind him as shouts echo out of it. Surprised at all the chaos that litters the screen, I hurriedly shove my phone in my pocket as sacks of flour fly in the air. “I better go before things get worse,” I say hastily, giving him one last smile before bursting out of his room and down to the foyer.

Stopping only long enough to apologize for the abrupt departure to Mr. Agreste’s assistant, I leave the mansion and slip through the gate before it can even open all the way.

Reaching the bakery in record time, I peak around the police barricade with a frown. Everything was locked up tight. Looking up at the large TV mounted above the door, my worries were confirmed when a decked-out woman appears on screen.

“There's no more Penny to deal with all your problems, Jagged! From now on, there's only Troublemaker!” She clicks her pen and briefly turns transparent and cackles. “And I'll make your life nothing but problems!”

_It was another Akuma attack_.

As the crowd outside scatters in panic, I duck out of view while Blann flies out of my hood.

“Things really went crazy in there,” he says with amazement. “Who knew shooting a TV show would cause all that!”

“Yeah, I thought something about the broadcast didn’t seem right. Marinette will have to wait for now.” I furrow my brows as I raise my bracelet up. “Blann, ears up!”

Slipping out of hiding as a news van pulls up, I purposefully ignore them as I focus back on the TV just as Troublemaker ends the broadcast. “Just how are we supposed to get in…”

“Please, let me take care of this. It'll be a piece of cake!” Chat says smugly as he lands next to me with a grin. Kneeling down to grab the bottom of the security shutters covering the bakery’s entrance, he struggles uselessly to raise it. “Maybe...maybe a little help here, Lapin?” he wheezes, arms straining as he continues to pull.

Sighing dramatically, I make a show of rolling my eyes. “I _suppose_ I can help.” Reaching down beside him, I grit my teeth as I try to pry it up alongside him. Ignoring the way my shoulder twinges almost immediately, Chat’s fingers slip and he stumbles back before telling me to move.

Raising his right arm high as I shuffle away, he prepares to use his Cataclysm before Troublemaker rises from behind him and grabs his wrist

“So you two wanna play rescue? No one's gonna be rescued today!” she mocks with a cruel grin before hurling Chat into the side of the news van.

Shouting his name worriedly, I pull out my tonfas and charge at the villain. Turning, she clicks her pen and becomes transparent just as I’m about to hit her. Swinging through her completely, my own momentum has me stumbling over myself and landing right in front of Chat.

Sitting up with a wince, a familiar polka-dotted yoyo wraps around Chat’s leg and yanks him up. Grabbing my arm as he flies in the air with a shriek, I’m pulled up alongside him as we land on Marinette’s balcony.

Landing on her outdoor recliner, Chat barrels into me before I could even relax. Wheezing at the impact, my arms wrap around him instinctively before I remember I was Lapin Blanc (not Evan Mercier) and shove him off.

“Hey, careful with the merchandise!” he whines, rubbing his butt with a glare.

“Say that to my shattered ribs,” I groan out while rubbing my chest. Him using me as a landing pad was never going to end, was it?

“Right on time, you two, and _still in one piece_ ,” Ladybug says with a roll of her eyes.

“Just _barely_ ,” Chat says overdramatically, hand resting on his forehead as he looks away.

Rolling her eyes again, she jumps down from the railing and motions for us. “Follow me!”

Slipping into Marinette’s room through her skylight after Chat, he stops long enough to look at all the pictures of Adrien next to her bed. “Oh wow! That's a lot of pictures!”

“Yeah…” I agree, a little dumbfounded at the corkboard full of Adrien. “It’s...a little excessive,” I have to admit, because even when I was struggling with my one-sided love for Chat I still never decorated my room with dozens of photos of him. It felt invasive.

_Do you like him because you truly like him or are you just a fan, Marinette?_

“We can take the grand tour later, guys,” Ladybug says quickly with a strained smile.

Troublemaker suddenly throws sharp looking knitting needles up towards us, though Chat pulls up the mattress to block them just in time.

Gripping the bed with him, we suddenly tumble down to the main floor as Ladybug slams the mattress back down.

“Sorry!” she says as she joins us, Troublemaker disappearing once again.

Popping back up, the villain throws a parasol at us from behind the chaise longue. Dodging it, Ladybug throws her yoyo at her, only for it to pass through her as she clicks her pen once again. Troublemaker then throws the chaise longue at us, Ladybug dodging out of the way as I block it with my tonfas against my arms.

With it breaking in half from the pin point pressure, even more photos of Adrien flutter around the room and I stare dumbly at it all. There had to be a limit to how much you like looking at someone, right??

“I said later, guys!” Ladybug shouts, annoyed as she rips a photo out of Chat’s hands.

Quickly dodging a large trunk thrown at us from behind, an annoying game of hide-and-seek cominses as Troublemaker only pops up long enough to hurl something at us before dematerializing and disappearing before we could react.

Glancing around for her, Chat shouts at Ladybug and I look back just in time to see Troublemaker reaching for her earrings from behind.

Reaching forward with a worried shout, I catch Ladybug as Chat trips her and manages to hit the villain. Sending her pen flying across the room, it lands in the corner and we all scramble to grab it.

Activating my Speed Boost, I easily gain the upper hand, able to snatch up the pen before anyone could even get close. “Got it!” I yell, hopping away from the pile of scrambling bodies.

Tossing it to Chat as he activates his Cataclysm, the pen’s snapped in half. The Akuma fluttering out of the destroyed object, Ms. Rolling turns back to normal as Ladybug purifies the blackened butterfly.

After her ladybug’s sweep through the room, setting everything back to normal, she kneels down to talk to the confused woman as Chat throws his arm around my shoulder.

“This is the first time we haven’t had to use her Lucky Charm, you know,” he says, and I pause, because he was right. “So congrats on officially being the fastest member of our team, bunny.”

Rolling my eyes, I shove him away with a scoff. “I just got lucky, kitty. Don’t go singing my praises yet.”

“True, can’t have your head getting even bigger can we?” he teases.

Crossing my arms with a mock offended look, my Miraculous bleeps in warning and I look up at the skylight. “Looks like I better bounce,” I state with a sigh, not wanting to leave just yet.

“Me too,” he agrees as he pulls out his staff. “I’ve got a certain cutie-pie I really wanna see.”

Freezing in my tracks, my face burns as I force myself to hop up to Marinette’s balcony. Was it presumptuous to think he was talking about me? _Because I really hoped so_.

Leaping across the street and into an alley, I transform back just as my phone rings. Scrambling to answer it as Blann rests tiredly on my shoulder, I don’t bother with the caller ID and say a hasty hello.

“Hey, guess where I am,” a voice purrs, and for a moment I almost wonder why Adrien was calling before shaking my head. Of course it would be Chat. _Adrien was still at home, Evan._

Peaking out of the alley, I snort at the sight of Chat balancing on the railing while scanning the area below. “I see you, kitty,” I say, snickering at the way his head whips around to try and spot me.

“Gonna leave a man waiting? I’ve been _dying_ to see you.”

Chuckling, I let Blann slip into my hood before telling him my location.

Immediately ending the call, he leaps across the street and lands down in front of me before throwing himself at me, arms wrapping around my neck tightly. A chuckle dies in my throat as chapped lips slam into mine and I stagger back before wrapping my own arms around his waist and leaning into the kiss with a grin.

Kissing him after dealing with an Akuma was almost becoming a reward at this point.

Only pulling away when we’re out of breath, he peppers kisses along my face with a laugh. “Not to be dramatic or anything--” I barely hold in a snort-- “but I’ve actually been dying to kiss you since the moment I’ve talked to you today. It’s been _literal torture._ ”

“Good thing you’re a big, tough hero then,” I tease, hiding the way my heart flutters at his clingy behavior.

Leaning back to stick his tongue out at me, his Miraculous bleeps erratically in warning. Groaning, he kisses me once again, seemingly intent on ignoring the sound.

Easily drawn into him, I manage to collect myself and reluctantly unwind his arms from around my neck. “You better go, Chat,” I state, a pleased hum leaving my mouth as he leans back in to kiss me while ignoring my words.

Forcing myself to pull away, I brush my gloved hand through his hair with a small laugh. “Come on, Lover boy, you gotta go before it’s too late.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you knew my secret identity,” he grouses, finally stepping away, though only a tiny bit. “So you better quit being your adorably oblivious self and fall for me all over again, okay?” He narrows his eyes when I don’t answer. “ _Okay?_ ”

I sigh and give in. “Okay, Chat...though, what if I fall for someone that isn’t you?”

“I’ll just steal you away then,” he chirps with a grin before adding more seriously, “I’m not Nathanael though, so keep looking at him the same.”

I laugh quietly before my mind shifts back to Adrien. _The_ question bubbling out of my mouth before I could stop it. “You’re not Adr--”

His Miraculous bleeping cuts me off and I slap a hand over my mouth as he glares down at his ring.

“Looks like I really do have to go,” he sighs before looking up at me. “What’s wrong?”

Shaking my head, I smile painfully under my hand. “Just, uh, just worried I might try and kiss you again,” I lie shakily, not courageous enough to ask again. Even though I _knew_ \-- _I knew_ \--he wasn’t Adrien, it didn’t change the fact I was a part of me was terrified to hear his answer.

Unaware of my internal panicking, he laughs cutely and blows me a kiss as he moves away. “I’ll see you soon, Trouble. _In either form._ ”

Watching him leap up to the roof, I sag against the rough brick of the wall with a sigh.

_I truthfully really was terrified to know who he was behind the mask._

\------

Waving at Nino and Alya as I head into the locker room, I freeze at the sight of Adrien and Marinette talking inside. He didn’t look creeped out or put off, and he actually had his arm around her shoulder without a care.

Excitement swells in my chest as I can’t help but grin. They were getting closer! Eager to not intrude on their alone time, I move to sneakily leave before Adrien shouts my name. Turning with a guilty smile aimed at Marinette, the blonde drops his arm from around her and waves me over.

Now unable to get away, I wave lightly in greeting as I join the two. “Hey, sorry for interrupting,” I say with a small wince.

“Don’t worry about it! We were just talking about the broadcast yesterday,” Adrien says with a smile.

Marinette giggles nervously. “Y-Yeah! The broadcast…”

“I, uh, actually have something to ask you,” he cuts in, face reddening as he suddenly radiates nervous energy while glancing between me and Marinette. “I...I wanted to know if you would like to go on a date with me?”

We’re both surprised, jaws practically hitting the floor at his bold words.

“I-I don’t know about that!” Marinette splutters with an anxious laugh. “I-It’s a little early don’t you think? Haha... _ha_... _areyoureallyforreal?!_ ”

Adrien blinks before his whole face reddens. “Oh, not you Marinette. I was, uh, actually inviting Evan.”

…

…

... _WHat?!?_

“Y-You mean as friends, right?” I ask for clarity, already beginning to sweat from the look I was getting from Marinette.

The sparkle in his eye disappears almost instantly as he looks away. “Yeah.. _.of course._..why anything else?” he mumbles, a hint of bitterness coating his words.

Though I ignore it, more than willing to put this awkward encounter behind us. “That sounds great! Maybe we could invite Marinette--”

“My father said I was only allowed one person!” he interrupts quickly.

“Oh…”

“It’s okay, Evan,” she says with a smile. “I wouldn’t want to get his father upset.”

Adrien smiles apologetically, though it seems a little forced. “Sorry, Marinette, maybe next time.”

“S-Sure!” she shouts, before blushing in embarrassment at her volume.

Grabbing my arm, he pulls me towards the door as he starts talking about all the different ice cream places we could go.

Giving Marinette one last apologetic look, she sighs but waves it off with a smile as the door closes behind me. Glancing over at Adrien as he continues to pull me along, I can’t quite understand his actions. The closest thing I got was that he was trying to make her jealous? At least according to all those rom-coms Madeleine makes me watch. Which meant…

Maybe Adrien really _was_ starting to like Marinette!

...

_...Hopefully..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! :) I want to thank you guys for the support and being patient with me, it really meant a lot and I'm finally feeling motivated again after over a while of not writing. I've really thought and realized that I might've put too much pressure on myself to publish a usually over 5000 word chapter every week and it was starting to feel more like a job than a passion. 
> 
> My plan from this moment forward is to post every two weeks instead, just so I can give myself some breathing room between chapters and still have time to draw (and play Genshin because my god that game is addictive).
> 
> But I really am thankful that you guys are willing to be so patient and here's this weeks art -- [Evan's too oblivious for his own good](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/641492019700793344/im-back-now-and-feeling-110-better-thanks-for)


	21. Reverser

“I give up,” I groan, pencil rolling out of my hand as I lean back.

“Huh?” Nino echoes, pulling off his headphones with a curious look.

Sighing heavily, I motion to my scribble filled paper morosely. “I’ve accepted that drawing will never be something I’m good at.” And that was putting it lightly.

He nudges me with a grin. “Come on, dude. It can’t be-- _pfttt!_ ” Neatly choking on his own laugh when he gets a good look at my sad attempt at drawing, he slaps a hand over his mouth to quiet the noise. “S-Sorry, man, it’s just...who is _that_ supposed to be anyway?”

“Chat Noir,” I answer stoically, mortification building up in me as I will down a flush.

“Oh, I, uh, I c-can sort of se _e ittT--_ ” Another round of laughter peels from him as he doubles over, clutching at his stomach.

Ears warming in embarrassment, I kick his leg as I grumble, “This is why I’m sticking to photography.”

“No, no, I’m sorry. Really! I just wasn’t expecting such a...unique take on him.”

Eyeing him wearily as he finally manages to calm down, I crumple my paper as I stand. _Writing was the only thing my pencils were going to be used for from now on._ Heading to the recycling bin, I pass by a focused Nathanael and jump in surprise when he crumples his own drawing with an irritated grumble.

Standing, he spots me as he turns, face reddening immediately. “O-Oh, Evan! I didn’t see you there!”

“It’s fine. I was just tossing something away,” I say, smiling softly at the frazzled boy, hoping to ease his nerves.

“You wanted to try drawing, right?” he asks before putting his hands up nervously. “N-Not that I was ease-dropping or anything! I just overheard you earlier!”

Glancing down at my balled-up paper, I manage an embarrassed smile. “Yeah, I’m...not too good at it, so I think I’ll stick to taking pictures for now.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad!”

“Oh, no, it really is,” I sigh in defeat. Though I appreciated the sentiment all the same.

“What’s that, Evan?” the art teacher cuts in with a kind smile. “Struggling with exploring your creative outlets?”

Face warming in embarrassment, I shrug helplessly. “Just with drawing, sir.”

“Don’t worry too much. Drawing is just one way to express yourself artistically, you know. Photography, for example, is something that you're naturally talented at.”

“Yeah, but…” I shrug again, a little lost for words, “I don’t know...I’d like to try other things, I guess?”

“Broadening your horizon I see.” He looks around thoughtfully before grinning. “How about poetry? It’s a great way to express yourself in different ways. Let’s you get in touch with your emotions.”

“I’d bet you’d be great at poetry, Evan,” Nathanael adds excitedly with a smile as Alix snickers to herself in the background.

“You think he’s amazing at everything,” she quips, the redhead blushing as he glares at her.

“No I don’t!” He turns back to me with wide-eyes. “I-I mean not that you’re not talented! It’s, uh, I…” stammering over a response, a familiar voice calls from the doorway.

“Sorry for interrupting, I was looking for Evan,” Adrien says as he steps inside the art room, eyes shifting from the teacher and back to me. Pausing to glance at Nathanael, there’s a flash of _something_ before he slips on a practiced smile. “I wanted to know if you wanted to work on the history project we were assigned earlier.”

The tips of my ears warm in embarrassment. “Sorry,” I apologize guiltily, “I forgot all about it. Give me a couple seconds to get my things.”

Heading back towards my seat, I start stuffing everything into my messenger bag as Nino watches me with sharp eyes.

“He’s got pretty good timing, doesn’t he?” Nino whispers conspiratorially as he leans towards me.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. “Who?”

“Adrien,” he says exasperatedly. “My dude is becoming skilled at interrupting any conversations between you and Nathanael.”

“Coincidence,” I answer with a shrug as I straighten back up.

“Mhm...you sure you guys aren’t secretly dating or something? ‘Cause I’m _really_ gettin’ those vibes.”

Almost choking on my spit, I look at him before sighing. “For the dozenth time, Nino, Adrien and I are _not_ dating. What kind of friend would I be if I dated my friend’s crush?”

“I’m just sayin’, dude, you guys got that chemistry goin’ on and I’m all for it.”

I look at him in astonishment. “What about Marinette though?”

“Hey, whatever makes Adrien happiest,” he answers with a shrug before sliding his headphones back on.

Shaking my head, I head back over to Adrien, who is making casual conversation with Nathanael.

“--I guess you could say we’re real close, so--”

“Hey, I’m ready,” I cut in with a small grin, looking curiously at the stiff looking redhead. “You okay?”

“Fine!” he squeaks out, not making eye-contact as he shuffles back to his desk without another word.

“Don’t worry about him. We were just talking about what we liked,” Adrien says with a dismissive wave, before pulling me out of the room and towards the library.

Practically empty, we quickly find a table and sit down. With him taking the spot next to me, I dig out my history book unhappily.

“You really don’t like history, do you?” he asks with a chuckle.

I shake my head, suppressing a groan as I flip to the correct page. “We have to make a power-point, right?”

“Yeah, I thought that maybe you could come to my house since you don’t have a computer.”

Humming as I thumb through the chapter, I sourily remember the conversation with his father. I was given the okay about hanging out with him, but I really didn’t want to chance running into that condescending _angeber_ again. Something about him just always had me on edge. _But_...Adrien went out of his way to invite me too…

“Sounds like a plan,” I give in after a moment, unable to turn down his invite. I was one of the few actually allowed to go to his house and I could already tell he was excited to have me over.

“Great!” he says happily, grinning at me as we bump shoulders. “You left early last time so you have to promise to stay, alright?”

Rolling my eyes at his teasing tone, I start scribbling down different things from the chapter. The both of getting caught up in looking over the text, I almost miss the feeling of his knee pressing up against mine. Glancing at him confusedly, I shift my leg away to give him more room, only for his knee to slowly trail after me.

Still confused, and assuming he needed more room, I move away again, this time putting at least a foot of space between us. “Is this enough?” I ask, looking over at him as he furrows his brows.

“Enough what?”

“Space.” I point down to his leg. “We kept bumping knees and I thought maybe it was because you needed more room.”

His eyes widen and he shifts his leg with a bright blush. “Uh, I must’ve not been paying attention. Sorry,” he laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Assuring him it was fine, we go back to looking over the history chapter until the bell rings.

Shoving away from the table to stretch my arms above my head, I knead at my shoulder as I hold in a yawn. “You wanna compare notes at your place?” I ask, rubbing my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie.

“Tired?” Adrien jokes, grinning teasingly as he looks at me.

“History does that to me,” I admit gravely, unable to suppress the yawn that crawls out of my mouth.

“Wanna take a walk around the park before heading to my house?”

I give him a look as I stand. “Are you allowed? I thought you had to go home right after school.”

He grins cockily before heading towards the exit. “Not if he doesn’t see me I don’t.”

Following after him confusedly, I spot Marinette hidden behind the stairs across the courtyard. Pointing her out to Adrien, my plans of going to say hi are stopped short as he pulls me towards the school’s exit.

“We don’t have time. If we’re not quick he’ll spot us,” he explains hurriedly before coming to an abrupt stop and ducking out of view of the silver car already outside.

“He’s here early,” he groans, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Glancing back out at the waiting bodyguard and then back at Adrien, I play with the hem of my hoodie nervously. As much as I didn’t want to anger his father, Adrien was really looking forward to this. So, with a light grin I set my bags down and pull off my hoodie. “Wear this,” I offer, holding it out for him. “He’s looking for you, so you’ll just have to dress in something else to throw him off.”

“Good idea!” he says, quickly taking the clothing item and pulling it on. With the sleeves almost engulfing his hands, I finally realize the height difference between us has grown once again.

“I’ve never noticed how short you were,” I state, amazed at the few inches I had on him.

“You’re only, like, three inches taller,” he shoots back with a roll of his eyes. “So, if anything, you're getting too tall.”

Chuckling, I pull my hood up over his head. “Ready to go?”

Looking away and tugging the hood further over his face, I notice the faint red tint coloring the bridge of his nose as he nods.

Adjusting my bag before leaving the school, I stay to the left of him and keep my eyes trained forward as we pass his bodyguard. Only getting a cursory glance before he goes back to scanning the leaving students for Adrien, the blonde presses close to me as we wait nervously at the crosswalk.

After a few anxiety-inducing moments, the pedestrian light changes and we hurriedly cross the road and head to the park. Passing through the gate, I stop and place a hand over my pounding heart with a relieved sigh.

“Looks like we made it,” I breathe out, glancing behind me just to make sure.

“Yeah,” Adrien pants. “I thought he was going to spot me the moment we walked down the stairs.”

“Looks like my hoodie came in handy then.” I smile largely as I stand back up.

“It did,” he hums, making no effort to hand it back over.

But I don’t really mind. If he wanted to wear my hoodie for a bit longer then he was more than welcome to. Pulling out my phone, I scroll through my contacts until I spot the one I need. “I’m going to call my aunt real quick so she knows where we’re going. You should message your bodyguard and let him know you weren’t kidnapped or something.”

Making a small noise of annoyance, he pulls out his own phone as I turn away to call Aunt Claire.

Ringing a few times, she answers with a chipper hello and I tell her about my plans. While she doesn’t say anything directly, the knowing tone of her voice already has me exasperated. Saying a quick goodbye before she could coo over how cute Adrien and I were, I slip my phone back in my pocket with a small sigh. She was misunderstanding. _Again._

Turning back towards the blonde, he quickly straightens with a flushed look as his hands drop to his side.

“Did you, uh, talk to your aunt?” he asks, clearing his throat as he avoids eye-contact.

Nodding, I ask him if he got in contact with his bodyguard.

“I told him I was taking a detour with a friend and would be home soon.”

“Good. Do you want--”

Cut off as a small mass dive bombs onto the top of my head, my brief initial panic is quickly subdued by the sound of loud cawing.

“He really knows how to single you out, doesn’t he?” Adrien asks, staring wide-eyed up at the magpie.

Offering the irritated bird an outstretched finger, he hops on it with a mimicked laugh. “I think I ended up spoiling him,” I sigh, gazing at the animal with a frown. Using my free hand to dig around in my messenger bag, I pull out the small bag of nuts I’ve always ended up carrying _just_ for him.

With Adrien’s help I grab a handful and hold them out for him, surprised at his gentleness when he starts pecking them up with his beak.

Caught up in watching him, the flash of a camera goes off and Adrien laughs apologetically. “Sorry, you just looked really cool now, feeding a wild bird by hand.”

My face warns against my will. “It’s nothing special. People feed birds all the time.”

His smile shifts into a grin as he says, “Yeah, but I like the way you do it best.”

Blinking, I’m unsure how to take his words and just offer an embarrassed laugh. The back of my brain tingles, his familiarity to Chat almost blasting me in the face until I can’t ignore it. But I’m a pro at ignoring my problems and hiding them away, so with practiced ease I focus back on Kleine Dieb and refuse to think about it anymore.

With the bird quickly finishing eating, he hops twice, before cawing at me and flying away without even acknowledging Adrien.

“I don’t think he likes me,” he jokes with a small laugh, the two of us watching as Kleine Dieb disappears into one of the many trees.

“Nah, he’d be dropping acorns on your head if he didn’t like you,” I offer with a light grin.

“Oh? Speak from personal experience?”

I smirk. “My lips are sealed.”

“Not for long,” he says, leaning forward with a grin alarmingly identical to Chat’s, making my heart skip. “I have ways of making you talk.”

“Evan?” a voice calls hopefully, breaking the weird tension between me and Adrien.

Looking over, I spot a familiar redhead looking at me with a red face.

“Nathanael? What are you doing here?” Adrien asks, exasperated as he eyes the flushing boy.

“I...I was told to meet someone here and…” he glances at me hopefully as he grips the book in his arms tightly, “is...is it you, Evan?”

“I’m...not too sure what you’re talking about, sorry,” I say apologetically, wincing at his fallen expression.

“B-But if it’s not you then…”

“U-Um, excuse me,” a timid voice interrupts as they pull down their hood, a nervous dark-haired boy glancing between the three of us. “It's...it’s actually me, Marc. Didn't Marinette tell you?”

“Marinette?” Nathanael echoes, looking over at the bakery where a very obvious Marinette was filming from her balcony. Turning back to Marc, he holds the book out with a frown. “You were trying to make a fool of me, weren't you? Do you think it's funny to toy with my feelings?!”

Marc quickly shakes his head. “No, not at all! I-I just want.. to make.. a comic book, if you want to, that is…”

“H-Hey, maybe this is a big misunderstanding…” I try to cut in, a spike of protectiveness striking me at the sight of the trembling boy.

Flushed with anger, tears build in the corner of Nathanael’s eyes as he briefly looks at me before sneering at Marc. “Did you set this all up so I’d embarrass myself in front of Evan?”

“W-What? No!” Marc protests, and I almost move to shield him from the redhead’s anger.

“Yeah, _right_.” He glares falters when our eyes meet before another swell of rage overtakes him. “And a comic book? Us!? Together!? _Never!_ ”

Stomaching dropping as he tears the book in his hands in half, he looks at me regretfully before storming off.

Glancing nervously at Adrien, I hesitate a moment before bending down to help the shattered dark-haired boy.

“P-Please leave me alone,” he mumbles brokenly, hunched over the destroyed book.

Pulling my hand away, I almost offer my help again before settling on a soft _okay_. Grabbing Adrien’s arm before he could protest, I drag him out of the park with a heavy heart. I didn’t know this Marc guy, but that didn’t stop me from empathizing with him.

“Shouldn’t we make sure he’s alright?” Adrien asks loudly as we round the corner.

I come to a stop. It felt wrong leaving him, but... “everyone deals with things differently, and I don’t know him well enough to force my attempts at comfort on him.”

He frowns, furrowing his brows before eventually sighing with a nod. “I guess you’re right. I like being alone sometimes when I’m really upset so I don’t see how he could be any different.”

“Yeah, though I’m a little concerned about Nathanael. I’ve never seen him so angry.”

“I’d say he was more embarrassed than angry.” He shoves his hands into my hoodie’s pockets. “I think whatever happened back there, he misunderstood big time.”

“Seems like it…” I trail off as I glance back towards the park. Me being there seemed to have made everything worse.

“Not much we can do now except check on them tomorrow,” Adrien states with a small sigh before smiling lightly. “Wanna head to my place now? My father’s probably throwing a fit.”

Heading down the street when I nod, we just start talking about some new anime he started watching until Sabrina’s father runs past up with a bag full of money.

“Hahaha! In the name of the law! Do whatever you want!” he shouts before taking off as someone chases after him, yelling about how he robbed the bank.

Watching as they get further away, I share a confused look with Adrien before spotting a black-and-white villain flying towards us on a paper airplane. Quickly pulling the blonde out of the way just as he zooms past, a blur of red trails after him with panicked screams.

_Ladybug?!_

“I, uh, think we should cancel our plans,” Adrien says suddenly with a nervous smile. “I remember you said your aunt gets worried about you during Akuma attacks.”

“You’re probably right,” I agree, glad I didn’t have to come up with a quick lie to get away.

“Will you be alright on your walk home?”

I nod. “My place is just down the street. But what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. My bodyguard’s probably waiting outside the gate for me anyway.”

Reaching the corner where we have to part ways, we give each other quick goodbyes before separating. Though, instead of heading towards the flower shop, I double back to an empty part of the street.

“He still has your hoodie, you know,” is the first thing Blann says when I let him out of my bag, making me realize I never asked for it back.

“I guess I’ll ask next time I see him,” I say with a shrug before bringing my bracelet eye level. “But for now we’ve got a city to save. Blann, ears up!”

Hopping up to the roof, I stretch as I pull up the GPS on my tonfa. Spotting Ladybug’s familiar signal at The Pont des Arts bridge, I pause to take note of how close Chat was. In fact, he wasn’t even a block away, right around Adrien’s house...

Shaking my head, I banish the paranoid thoughts and slip my tonfa back on my belt. _Deal with the Akuma before freaking out over nothing._ Quickly heading to Ladybug’s location, I reach the bridge before Chat.

“How do you like your new role, Ladyklutz?” the newest villain laughs, Ladybug looking to be immobilized.

Landing in front of her protectively, I tut at the villain. “Is that anyway to speak to a lady, pal? Pretty rude if you ask me.”

“I’m not your _pal_ , Lapin Blanc. I am Reverser, and you need to learn some respect!”

“Sorry,” I shrug as I give him a taunting grin, “fresh outta that, I’m afraid.”

“Like to run your mouth, huh? Well not anymore! _Reversion!_ ”

Dodging the paper airplane he throws at me, I land on the railing with a smirk. “Have to try harder than that, paper-boy.”

Glowering at me, I almost think he’ll chase after me until he grins and throws a paper airplane at Ladybug instead.

With her barely able to move, I dart in front of her and take the hit as she yells. Not feeling even a twinge of pain, I pat myself down before pointing at Reverser with a smirk. Opening my mouth to speak, not a single sound comes out. With a jolt of panic I try again before gripping my throat. What did he do?

“Not so talkative now, are we Lapin blanc?” he taunts, and once again nothing comes out of my mouth no matter how hard I try. “Now, give me your Miraculous’!”

“Awesome costume,” Chat shouts, suddenly appearing and hitting the villain away with his staff. “Too bad we'll have to tear it up!” He looks back at us after he lands. “Everything okay, guys?”

Trying to answer, I stomp my foot in frustration when nothing but silence comes out.

“So you think you're brave, Chat Noir? Revert from puss to wuss! Reversion!” Reverser throws one of his paper airplanes at Chat, who easily dodges.

“Oh, yeah, I'm so scared. Come on, let's wrap this up.”

Jumping up on the railing beside him as Ladybug falls over her own feet, I try to warn Chat as a paper airplane hits him in his moment of distraction.

Pausing, he looks down at the river before letting out a terrified scream.

"What's up kitty, got vertigo?” taunts Reverser as Chat tries to climb me like a tree.

Barely managing to keep my footing at the sudden assault, a knee to the face makes me flinch and I fall off the railing with a yelp. Feeling Ladybug’s yoyo wrap around my forearm, my brief moment of relief is short lived when she tumbles after us.

Crashing into the water, I struggle to untangle myself from both Chat and Ladybug’s yoyo string before swimming to the shore, though not without difficulty thanks to whatever happened to Ladybug. Helping her climb up the small wall, I pant soundlessly and flop on my back.

“Even swimming is impossible with this curse,” she sighs tiredly before crawling towards the concrete wall.

I absent-mindedly rub my throat. Is that what this was?

Chat sneezes, shivering dramatically. “Great. Now I'm sure I'm gonna catch a cold.”

Opening my mouth to tell him he’d be fine, I scowl unhappily once again at the lack of sound. Getting up, I pat myself grumpily. Never knew how much you missed something until it went away I guess.

Ladybug, now supporting herself against the stairs, sighs. “How are we gonna defeat him?”

“What!? You wanna face him again?” Chat asks in disbelief. “I really don't wanna fight that bad guy. He looks so mean…” He sniffles before whining, “ _I want Evan._ ”

Despite the situation my heart skips as my face warms under my mask. Chat was too cute, whining for me like that.

“Right now we don't have a choice in fighting him,” Ladybug says, apparently not hearing my name. “Reverser is looking for a boy named Nathanael and we've gotta find him before he does. Luckily, I know where to look.”

Trailing after her closely as she tries to hobble up the first step, Chat doesn’t move from his spot.

“I can't do it, the stairs are too high. It's making me dizzy. Just...just let me call someone to come and get me.”

She sighs before looking at me. “Lapin…”

Opening my mouth, I close it with a flash of annoyance before nodding. Walking over to Chat, I open my arms invitingly and he doesn’t waste a second before leaping into my arms. Patting his back with an inaudible sigh, I turn back to Ladybug just as she trips over the concrete railing.

“We're not outta the woods yet,” she sighs, already looking done with everything.

Setting a reluctant Chat down, I grab my chin as I think hard. While I could certainly carry them wherever we needed to go, getting there without being spotted was the problem. They both were out for the count when it came to fighting, while communication was next to impossible since I couldn’t even talk. What we needed was a covert way around the city…

A car honks in the distance and I perk up immediately. That was it! Clapping to get both heroes attention, I point up the stairs and mimic using a steering wheel.

“W-What? What are you saying?” Chat stutters anxiously, and I want to facepalm.

Repeating the action again, this time more aggressively, recognition flashes in Ladybug’s eyes.

“A taxi!” she shouts excitedly. “That’s a great idea, Lapin! Let’s go!”

Standing, she manages a shaky step before almost face planting on the stairs, only stopped by me grabbing the back of her costume. Steadying her, I almost choke when Chat jumps on my back and wraps his arms around my throat, crying about some scary noise. Finding my footing, I have to stop Ladybug once again from falling and let out an inaudible sigh.

_I’d just carry them up._

Managing to hail a taxi, we squeeze in the back and I let Ladybug do the talking as Chat wraps himself up in a blanket given to us by the driver.

Unable to do much conversing, I do my best to silently soothe Chat as he white-knuckles at the speed of the taxi until we reach the school.

The first to get out, I help the trembling hero as he turns an accusatory finger at the driver.

“You drive like a maniac!”

Hearing Ladybug apologize to him, I usher the scaredy-chat (a pity he wasn’t able to hear that) inside and up the stairs. A large commotion sounds from further down in the art room as different art supplies fly out the open door.

“W-Woah. That looks pretty scary…” Chat whispers as he shoves himself behind me.

The art teacher then bursts out of the room, ranting about destroying everything alongside Juleka and Rose, before taking off down the opposite stairs.

Ladybug, having shakily made her way upstairs, gasps in shock. “Reverser got here first! Look! The Louvre is in almost every single one of Nathanael's drawings,” she says, picking up a discarded piece of paper.

Chat trembles. “Does this mean we have to take another cab?”

Receiving a glare from her, he cowers back behind me with a cute squeak. Trying to speak without thinking, another burst of frustration travels through me at the lack of sound. Just motioning towards the exit, I scoop the two under my arms before leaping down and quickly heading back outside. Ignoring Chat’s shrieking about how dangerous that was, I push usher them back into the waiting taxi before slamming the door behind me.

Sensing my frustration, Ladybug puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Lapin, we’ll get your voice back as soon as possible.” Flashing me a brief smile, she turns towards the driver and tells him our next location.

Quickly exiting the taxi when we reach the Louvre, I hull them back under my arms and hastily make my way inside. Glancing around, I spot the way to the art exhibits and head there. Nathanael loves art so it was the best place to start.

And my assumption was proved correct, both Nathanael and Alix were there. Setting the two heroes down, I steady Ladybug as she calls out for them.

Only to trip over her own feet and crash to the ground, taking Chat with her.

After dealing with that awkward greeting and explaining the situation, Ladybug takes out her yoyo and puts on the news.

The news reporter looks worried as she begins. “It's been confirmed, ten thousand tons of garbage have just been released from space and are about to rain down on Paris, unless mayor Bourgeois cancels the process, the city will soon be under a mountain of trash. The man behind the chaos, Supervillain Reverser, has given an ultimatum.”

Reverser appears in the live-feed in the corner. “Ladybug, Chat Noir, I command you to deliver Nathanael and Marinette to me, right now! I also demand that you hand over your miraculous!” he orders, suddenly everything getting ten times worse.

“We have to try and talk to him,” Ladybug says as she puts away her yoyo, “And we're gonna need you, Nathanael.”

“What about Marinette?” Chat asks, voicing the very thought in my head.

“We don't have time! Reverser will have to settle for just Nathanael.”

Alix glances at the redhead before frowning. “I'm coming with you.”

“No way! It's too dangerous,” Ladybug objects and I nod in agreement. Civilians didn’t need to get involved and get hurt.

“Actually....” Chat begins as he edges away. “I'll just stay here too, so I don't get in the way…”

Rolling my eyes, I can only cross my arms with a frown. Watching as Alix leans sneakily towards him, she scares him with a simple _boo_ and he jumps into Ladybug's arms, the two falling to the ground. I wouldn’t let him hear the end of it after we dealt with Reverser.

“It looks to me like you're going to need a helping hand,” Alix states before helping Ladybug up.

“You can never get too much help,” Chat chimes, and I pull him up with an inaudible sigh.

She smiles back at the nervous redhead. “Nathanael is my friend. I'm not dropping him.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Looks like we were bringing along defenseless civilians.

_What could_ possibly _go wrong?_

Reaching the taxi still waiting outside, we have to cram in to actually fit in the car. Though Chat ended up on my lap, so who was I to complain?

Arms wrapped tightly around him as he flinched at ever turn, I keep the urge to kiss him to myself. Something about seeing a scared Chat was a little cute...not that I’d tell him that. It’d probably bruise his ego.

Reaching the Eiffel Tower, Alix helps Ladybug out as Chat glares at the driver.

“You're a public health-hazard!” he scolds.

The taxi driver frowns as I lead him away. “But I never even went over 15 miles an hour!”

Joining the other three, I look up at the sky when Alix says, “That's strange, the stars are out early.”

“Those are _not_ stars!” Ladybug exclaims worriedly. “The trash is entering the atmosphere. In just a few minutes, it'll be like having a meteor shower, except with dumpsters instead.”

Chat shivers and hides his head under the blanket.

“Don't be scared, Chat Noir. We can do this.”

Nodding in agreement, I ignore the urge to hug him tight and pat his back with a smile.

Glancing at the two of us, he finally calms down and pulls the blanket off his head. “You guys are right. Our powers may be all screwed up, but we still make a great team.”

Smiling in relief, she summons her Lucky Charm and catches a roll of polka-dotted bamboo sticks.

And never more in my life have I wanted to be able to talk, the pun about this being a _sticky_ situation practically _begging_ to be heard. But alas, not even a peep passes my lips as I try again, as useless as it might be.

Picking up a traffic cone, Ladybug uses it as a makeshift megaphone as she yells, “Reverser! We're over here! I've got a deal for you. I'm gonna hand Chat Noir and Lapin Blanc over to you now!”

_She was what now?_

“In exchange, you'll reverse Mayor Bourgeois to order the dumpsters back out into space! Only then will I give my miraculous and Nathanael.”

“I'll only reverse the mayor back if I have those two _and_ Nathanael,” Reverser demands. “Then I'll reverse Nathanael, and he'll have no choice but to make a comic book with me.”

Ladybug glances at us before sighing and answering with an okay and leading the three of us inside and into the elevator.

“M'lady, I'm too scared,” Chat whimpers, hand peeking out from the blanket to grip my belt.

Nathanael nods, tight hold on the bamboo rods. “And I don't wanna be reversed.”

I agreed with them, but obviously (and frustratingly) couldn’t voice it.

“You have to trust me--” she hands Nathanael her yoyo-- “This is gonna work.”

Stepping back as the door closes, her voice echoes from outside as we head up towards Reverser. Focusing more on what to do, I rub my chin as I glance around thoughtfully. She wouldn’t send us up without a plan.

“We better think of something fast,” Chat says shakily.

“Yeah...but what?” Nathanael counters, grip tightening on the bamboo sticks nervously.

We somehow needed to reach him, the only problem being that he was airbound and had the advantage. Chat tugs at my belt and I almost ignore it before my eyes land on the bamboo. A long staff maybe? I quickly dismiss the idea. It’d be too shaky and heavy. Chat’s blanket then catches my eye. Maybe not a staff but a--!

“A kite! We could make a kite with everything we have!” Chat shouts, apparently reading my mind.

“A-Are you sure?” Nathanael asks, apprehensive.

“It’s the only choice we have right now, so we better hurry.”

Nodding in agreement with him, I unloop my belts and we quickly get working on hobbling together the makeshift kite. Using my belts to secure the bamboo together, we pull the blanket over the edges and weave Ladybug’s yoyo through it all.

“I think this should do it,” Nathanael says.

Chat makes a pained face as he stares down at his belt. “Just one last thing…”

As he ties it around his eyes so he can’t see, I help position him just as the door slides open.

Quickly dragging him out of the elevator, I move out of the way as he runs off the ledge, making sure to grab his staff as he flies away. Dropping the yoyo out of his mouth when he screams, I jump off the railing and grab it.

Falling towards the ground, I aim towards Ladybug and Alix and launch it towards them before focusing on extending Chat’s staff and wedging it in between the steel beams of the Eiffel Tower. Quickly hopping up and running down the length of the now immobile staff, I get to safety before catching it as it retracts back.

Waiting as Ladybug shouts for Chat to use his Cataclysm, I watch as he dissolves the large paper airplane before the girls yank the makeshift kite back down to them. With him and Reverser freefalling I quickly extend his staff to the other side of the tower as ladybugs sweep through the area.

Grabbing it and then the now destransformed boy, I shout his name with a massive relieved grin. It felt good to finally have my voice back!

“Just as I was getting used to the quiet,” he teases, and I stick my tongue out at him before we make our way down to Ladybug.

Reaching her first, I sigh loudly just to hear the sound. “I’m never taking my voice for granted again.”

“Yeah, feels good to be ourselves again.” Chat nods, setting the nervous boy down with a grin.

Noticing the mayor and Nathanael heading towards us, I cross my arms as the older man says, “My, my. I guess that space dumpster thing was a bad idea after all.”

_You don’t say?_

“Thank you, Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Lapin Blanc, you really keep this city clean.”

Suppressing a roll of my eyes as Ladybug heads over to the two boys, I peek over at Chat scrolling through the screen on his staff.

“Whatcha’ doin’?” I ask idly, once again overjoyed at hearing my own voice.

“Wouldn’t _you_ like to know,” he teases before admitting, “I’m thinking of swinging over and paying a special someone a visit.”

“Oh?” a bolt of panic strikes me. “And that is…?”

He grins. “ _None of your business._ Gotta keep some mystery about me.”

“Alright, Romeo, keep your secrets,” I say with a sigh as I playfully elbow him.

“Oh, he’s _definitely_ a secret worth keeping.”

My face burns immediately and I look away. _He was so open about how he felt._ If I wasn’t Lapin Blanc I would’ve kissed him right here and now.

Fisting bumping him and Ladybug before saying our goodbyes, I quickly head towards home and drop down into the alley next to it. Transforming back, I let Blann nestle on my shoulder as I check my phone. Besides the class group chat-- that Alya forced me to join-- and a short text to be careful from my aunt, everything seemed to be in order.

“You think Chat’s gonna come?” Blann asks, nosely watching my screen as I scroll through Alya’s updated blog, _that she also forced me to join_.

Humming, I glance at the time before shaking my head. “Nah, he doesn’t have enough time. If he’s not de-transformed yet he’s probably on the last of his energy.”

“But you have to admit it’s cute that you’re the first thing he thinks of after an Akuma fight,” he giggles.

“ _I know_ ,” I groan. “I want to kiss him every time he talks about wanting to check up on me. It’s too adorable.”

Giggling again, he flies off my shoulder and latches onto my face. “Like _this?_ ” Peppering my face with tiny kisses, I laugh and block him with my hand.

“Just about.”

With him giving me one last quick kiss, I turn back to my phone with a smile as a message from Adrien pops up.

‘ _Wanna come over now?’_

“You should,” Blann whispers.

I nod before texting back ‘ _If your not busy’_

‘ _I’m never too busy for you ; )d gkjwpeori’_

‘ _U okay??’_

‘ _Yeah! Just ignore that winky face. My...fingers slipped. I’ll see you in a few <3 ghheorsd’_

“Is he okay?” I ask out loud as he quickly texts back for me to ignore that as well.

Blann shrugs. “Who knows. Only way to find out is to go over and check.”

“Yeah,” I put away my phone, “let’s go.”

\------

(In Adrien’s room)

“Plagg!” Adrien shouts, mortified.

“What? I was only adding a little ~ _spice~_ ,” the kwami replies lazily. “That kid’s as dense as a brick so you’re casual flirting isn’t going to cut it. So, if anything, you should be thanking me.”

“I--you may be right about him being dense, but that doesn’t mean you needed to add the emojis!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter done! I can totally see Adrien being easily jealous, especially when it comes to Nathanael, and no one can tell me different! Evan is also still doing his best to ignore the obvious (it's one of his many skills lol) 
> 
> This chapters art! --> [The hoodie](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/642776519537721344/adrien-in-love-and-ridiculously-obvious-about-it)


	22. Anasi

Watching Nino and Alya dance in sync perfectly, I chuckle, arm propped up on the coffee table. Everyone, excluding Adrien (as expected), were hanging out at Alya’s and waiting to go see the World Cup fireworks.

“They're so in sync with each other,” Marinette sighs, and I look over to see a dreamy expression on her face.

“You're right,” Adrien agrees from the propped up phone. He was at least allowed to video call us. “Someday I hope I'll find someone I can share everything with like they do…” he pauses, and it almost looks like he was looking at me before he continues with a sigh, “but until my father starts letting me go out more often, that probably won't be happening.”

Marinette takes the phone with a frown. “Are you sure your dad won't let you come? It's such a bummer.”

“You know how overprotective he is. He almost let me go when I told him Evan was going, but he said there were too many people...One day he'll realize I'm not a child anymore, but we're not quite there yet.”

Humming, I turn my attention back to the dancing duo as Nino announces the _Big Finish._ Laughing as he poses on one leg like a ballerina, the door slams closed as Alya’s big sister enters the apartment.

“Aw, shoot. Did I miss the ballet?” she asks brusquely.

Alya blinks. “Nora, is your match over already?”

Dropping her bag on the floor, she punches the air. “First round: total knockout! As usual.” She then throws her arm around Alya and whispers something in her ear before turning back towards us. “The name is Anansi, like a spider.”

Alya rolls her eyes. “Sure, I'll call you Anansi when you stop calling me ' _little sis_ '.”

Nora dismisses her before asking, “Anyway, what are you all still doing here this late? Don't you have school tomorrow?”

“We're waiting for it to get dark. It's the World Cup fireworks show tonight, remember? We're gonna watch from the Place de la Concorde Ferris wheel,” she explains as her sister drinks from the milk carton.

_Alright, no drinking milk here,_ I think solemnly, grimacing as she spits the liquid out with a gasp.

“ _Oh, no!_ Baguette, camera, and cappie can go with cellphone boy if they want, but you're staying here.” She crushes the carton on the table and crosses her arms. “It's _way_ too dangerous.”

“But Nora--” Marinette quickly corrects herself-- “I mean, Anansi, you can't do that!”

Nino agrees. “Yeah, no way dude, we're not going without Alya!”

“We all watch out for her,” I add lightly, though quickly avoid the boxer’s hardened glare.

“Listen,” Alya starts, “I appreciate you worrying about me and all, but I'm not a little girl anymore. Besides, Mom and Dad are totally cool with it.”

Her sister tsks. “There have been way too many akumatized peeps in Paris these last few weeks. Look how many times you've been in direct danger. So you're staying home, safe and sound, _period!_ ”

“That's so ridiculous! The twins were akumatized right here at home.”

“Well, that would've never happened on _my_ watch. I won't let anybody mess with my family.”

Alya crosses her arms, looking less than impressed as she deadpans, “You mean like the other day at the square?”

“What happened?” Adrien voices my thoughts, and Marinette begins to explain.

“Well… we came across a man handing out flyers. Nora thought the man was akumatized and wanted to turn Alya into a banana-zombie.”

“How was I supposed to know it was some stupid costume?” Nora objects quickly. “And besides, what would happen if the Ferris wheel stopped working 'cause some akumatized dude refused to pay his fare? Once you fly-weights can actually defend yourselves like me--” she punches and kicks the air-- “we'll talk about it.”

“It doesn't matter, because Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat Noir would save us if there were any problems,” Marinette slips in quickly.

“Uh-huh. And what if Mister Whiskers is busy catching a mouse and Thumper’s stuck in some hole? Or that Beetle's been sprayed with bug spray? What do you do _then?_ ”

I blink. She called me _Thumper_ of all things?

“I can protect Alya if I have to!” Nino states with a serious look.

“Oh yeah?” She scoffs. “And how exactly are you planning to defeat the villain? A dance-off?”

“I'd…do anything to protect Alya,” he mumbles as she laughs, and I almost come to his aid before Nora speaks again.

“Ha! Okay, Alya can go out with you guys,” she slams her elbow on the table, “ _if_ you beat me at an arm wrestle.”

“Please, don't arm-wrestle on my account. I don't need to be protected!” Alya cuts in.

“Nino, you don't stand a chance against Anansi. She's way too strong,” Adrien adds, and while Nino was a dear friend I had to agree.

“He’s...sorta right. No offense though!” I raise my hands with an apologetic look as he looks at us in annoyance.

“Sorry, Nino,” Adrien apologizes guiltily. “I'm sure we'll work _something_ out.”

“We gotta go, or else we'll miss the fireworks,” Marinette states worriedly.

“Forget it,” Alya sighs in resignation. “You guys go without me.”

Eyes widening as the others gasp, I bite the inside of my cheek. I knew where her sister was coming from, but still...

“Take this,” Marinette shoves the phone in my hands before suddenly saying, “Okay, Nino will arm-wrestle you.”

_What?_

“Is she crazy? There’s no way he’ll win against Alya’s sister,” Adrien says while she rambles about love making your muscles bulge.

I nod as I turn the phone screen towards me. “She’s a boxer but maybe love really will prevail?” I wonder, hopefully, with an unsure smile.

“Do you _really_ believe that?”

Shrugging, I head over to the table as the two get ready and place the phone next to them, so Adrien could see.

“Camera and phone boy will be the referees,” Nora states as she and Nino grab each other's hands.

Standing on the opposite side of Adrien, Marinette gives us the go ahead and Adrien clears his throat.

“All right! In position. Ready. Set. Go!”

From the yell Nino gives, I almost expect him to slam her hand down. But judging from the calm expression on Nora’s face, he’s already lost.

“Really? Is that all you got?” she asks boredly before yawning tauntingly.

Embarrassed for Nino, I whirl around as Marinette points behind me and shouts about an Akuma. Seeing nothing, I turn back just as she pulls down their joined hands, leading to Nino winning.

“And the winner is… Nino!” Adrien shouts, and I choose to remain silent. I didn’t like lying, but Alya _really_ wanted to go.

Marinette fakes a sheepish look, lying about just seeing a fly as Nora looks shocked. Congratulating Nino, she grabs the phone and hurriedly says, “Come on, let's go. If we leave now we'll get there just in time.”

Flinching and almost cowering away as Nora slams her fist on the table angrily, my heart thuds loudly as a memory of my mother flashes before my eyes.

“You're a bunch of cheaters!” Nora’s loud, angry voice cuts through the heaviness in my chest, though it does little to calm me. Just because she wasn’t _her_ didn’t mean nothing would happen.

“There's no way I could've been beaten by that fly-weight. If I hadn't been distracted, I--”

“That's it, Nora!” Alya cuts in, glaring up at her older sister. “You lost the challenge, so deal with it. I've had it with your overprotective big-sis-smothering. I'm going out with my BFFs and I don't care what you think. Alya out.”

Stomping out, she motions for us to follow and I quickly scurry after her, more than happy to be away from her towering, threatening sister.

“You okay?” she asks quietly as Nino and Marinette stumble over their goodbyes.

Still a little shaken, I hide my nauseous feelings with a forced smile. “Yeah, just ready for some fireworks.”

Quickly leaving as soon the other two finally join us, we make it in time to get our own car on the ferris wheel.

Settling in next to Marinette, I try to match her excitement as the fireworks start but the memories of shattered dishes and harsh words threaten to swallow me whole. Maybe I was too sensitive, but just the sight of Alya’s sister’s anger still had me on edge. In that moment she reminded me so much of _her_ that I felt like the terrified kid I used to always be.

Biting the inside of my cheek to ground myself, I force myself to focus on the fireworks going off in the sky. Keeping my attention away from my spiraling thoughts was the only thing that would keep me level-headed right now.

“Whoa! It's beautiful, thank you, guys,” Adrien says over the phone before gasping. “Marinette, Evan, behind you! I saw something go by! What was it?”

Turning around and looking through the window beside me, I furrow my brows as my skin prickles.

“I don't see anything. Maybe it was a bird,” Marinette says before the ground suddenly shakes and the ferris wheel comes to an abrupt halt.

Leaning more heavily against the glass, I scan the outside with rising paranoia before spotting something down below. “Marinette, look,” I call, pointing to the spider looking person messing with something on the ride.

She gasps. “It’s a supervillain!”

Alya quickly pulls out her phone and squeezes beside Marinette, a sort of excitement flickering across her face.

“Uh...may-maybe you shouldn't film her, Alya. You don't wanna attract her over here,” Nino offers nervously, cowering behind her.

“A new scoop for the Ladyblog! Ladybug, Lapin Blanc, and Chat Noir should be showing up any minute.”

I knead at my shoulder while biting the inside of my cheek. _Not Lapin Blanc._

“I-I think my wifi is losing signal!” Adrien says loudly, the video call ending not even a moment later, leaving us all a little dumbfounded.

“Dude has mad bank and can’t even get good internet,” Nino jokes, voice shaky as he tries to lighten the mood amidst the growing chaos below.

A black, gloved hand suddenly slaps the window and I spread my arm in front of the girls protectively as a spider themed face grins down at us.

“Well, well. There you are, fly-weights.”

_Was that…_

“Nora!?” the three gasp, confirming my suspicions.

“Nora's not here to protect you anymore. I am Anansi, super-spider,” she says as she picks up the cabin before jumping down from the ferris wheel and dropping it on the ground.

Nino crashing into me as we all topple over each other, I groan as his elbow digs into my back.

“All those arms, that's convenient, but you destroyed my scratching post,” Chat calls out, and I perk up at the sound of his voice.

Standing as he and Anansi begin to fight, I push up against the wedged door with a grunt. We had to get away while she was distracted.

Hearing a gasp from Marinette, I pause in prying open the door with Nino to glance back at the fight. A swirl of panic sweeps through me at the sight of the wobbling ferris wheel and I quickly give one more shove to the door and almost cheer when it pops open.

Not wasting any time I start helping them out with a hurried warning and pull myself up alongside Alya just as Anansi lands behind us. Quickly shoving my friend out of the way as she tries to grab her, my wrist gets snatched up but she still manages to catch Alya with one of her many hands.

“ _Ohh_ , feeling brave are we, camera?” she taunts, dangling me in front of her face with a wicked grin.

“ _Lass sie gehen_ ,” I seethe, kicking her as hard as I can in the stomach.

Barely wincing, one of her free hands grabs my face as she sneers, “Wanna try that again?”

“ _Let. Her. Go_ ,” I repeat steely, ignoring the panic bubbling hotly just beneath my skin.

She pauses, leaning back with a mock pondering look. “Hm, you know what?” she grins cruelly. “I don’t think so.”

Tossing me behind her like I was a piece of trash, worried shouts of my name barely register as I slam shoulder first into the ground. Actually blacking out from the pain, I blearily come to a moment later to the sound of Anansi taunting Nino.

Struggling to sit up, I choke on air as a borderline mind numbing pain shoots from my right shoulder. _Please,_ please _don’t be dislocated._ Tears building in the corners of my eyes as I shakily trail my fingers up to the burning area, I gasp painfully at the slight touch.

“Evan!!” a pair of voices call, and I do my best to sit up as Nino and Marinette rush over to me.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” she asks panickedly as she kneels in front of me.

Taking a sharp breath, I grit my teeth and shake my head. “I think…” I hiss in pain as I shift, “I think I dislocated my shoulder.”

“And hit your head! You’re bleeding!”

Before I could deny it, my head throbs painfully and I wince. Third time I’ve hit my head off the ground trying to play the hero.

“We need to get you to the doctors,” she says worriedly, shedding off her outer shirt to press against the matted blood in my hair.

Nino frowns angrily and glances down the road. “You get him to the doctor’s and I’ll go save Alya and prove I’m not a fly-weight.”

“But Nin--”

“I’m doing this and I don’t need your help to prove it!” he interrupts heatedly before taking off to wherever Anansi took Alya.

Staring after him with a frown, Marinette looks back at me anxiously. “Can you stand?”

Nodding, I do my best to stubbornly work through the pain and manage to stand on, albeit wobbly, legs. A wave of dizziness crashes over me and I have to lean against an abandoned food cart while fighting the urge to vomit.

“T-This is bad. Like, _soo_ bad,” Marinette mumbles, tittering around me worriedly.

“I’ll be fine,” I wheeze, obviously failing at comforting her if the look on her face is anything to go by.

“I...I have to do something _but what…?_ ” her eyes suddenly widen. “I’ll go get help, okay? Will you be alright on your own?”

Giving a small nod, I groan lightly at my stomach churns. Leaning more heavily against the food cart, I cover my eyes with my forearm, head throbbing. Too caught up in fighting my growing nausea I almost miss the gentle call of my name.

“I thought you left alre…” I trail off as I glance over at who I thought was Marinette. Instead, Ladybug had taken her place, looking equally as worried.

She smiles lightly. “I know someone that can help you. Can you grab hold of me? I’ll make sure to be careful.”

Hesitating, just because my shoulder hurt _that_ much, I nod and reach my uninjured arm around the back of her neck. Taking the utmost care, just like she said she would, I still have to hold in cries of pain at even the slightest movement as she picks me up and runs.

“There’s Chat Noir. Looks like he managed to stop the ferris wheel,” she says as she spots the still ride.

Opening my eyes, my vision swirls as my mouth waters. “I think I’m gonna throw up,” I mumble, taking a ragged breath.

“Can you hold on? We’re almost there.”

Quickly shaking my head, I clamp my hand on my mouth as my stomach lurches. Practically shoving myself off her when she finally stops and lands, I manage to hide behind a chimney just before vomiting all over the tiled roof.

Bowled over as my head pounds and shoulder aches, I gasp painfully, struggling to breathe properly. Unable to keep the tears hidden at the pain I was in, a faint sense of dread weighs over me. Being this hurt only reminded me of living in that house, at the mercy of my mother’s cruelty.

Forcing myself to calm down before I could fully slip into a horrible memory, I focus on the feeling of the rough brick against my gloved, open palm, and the way the sun beat down on the back of my neck. I forced myself to acknowledge where I really was, not where I used to be. _Not anymore._

Stomach lurching again, I can’t hold in the pained whine that escapes my mouth and lean against the chimney. Taking a few deep breaths, I carefully shove away from the wall and shakily head back over to Ladybug, exhausted both physically and emotionally.

Checking me over worriedly, she begins asking me if I’m okay before Chat lands next to her and interrupts.

“Hey, everything okay? You didn’t...” his eyes widen as he notices the state I’m in, drying blood and all. “What happened?!” he asks heatedly, grabbing my shoulder and causing me to cry out in pain.

Hastily releasing me and stepping back, _he_ looked like he was the one with a dislocated shoulder and possible concussion.

“Anansi threw him and he hit the concrete _really_ hard,” Ladybug explains, hands hovering as she frets over me.

“The _villain_ did this?!” he asks angrily, gesturing towards me before a pained look spreads across his face and he softly asks, “You okay, Trouble?”

Despite feeling like death warmed over, my heart flutters at his obvious concern. “I’m fine, _Schatz_ ,” I answer quietly through the tiredness. Quickly noticing I basically called him _honey_ , or more accurately _treasure_ , my face reddens as I cringe at myself. That knock to the head really must’ve scrambled my brain.

“Don’t lie,” he chides with a small frown, and I blink back to reality with a start.

“You guys can leave me here and go save Alya, she’s probably doing a lot worse than me right now,” I say, though I really wanted nothing more than to go home and cry.

“No way!” he objects quickly with narrowed eyes. “You’re too hurt to leave.”

Ladybug agrees with a nod. “He’s right, Evan. Let me drop you off somewhere that can help you first.”

Outnumbered and more than a little exhausted, I give in without another word and try to remain standing.

“I can carry him,” Chat says, stepping forward to catch me as I sway unsteadily. Picking me up with a gentleness that makes me fall in love all over again, he silently follows Ladybug as she leads him to the familiar massage parlor that belonged to Master Fu.

Entering through the window, Chat hugs me close as she calls out for the old man.

“Ah, I had a feeling I’d be getting a visit,” he greets, stepping inside the room with a tray full of medical items. “Place him on the futon. _Gently._ ”

Sucking in a sharp breath as Chat sets me down, I try to hold back my tears at the stabbing pain from both my head _and_ shoulder.

“You’ll be alright,” Master Fu comforts before turning to the heroes. “I’ll take good care of him, so you go.”

Chat immediately objects. “I’m not leaving him! He’s hurt and--”

“ _Bitte geh einfach_ , _Schatz_ ,” I grit out, pleading for him to go, vision beginning to swim as I take short, controlled breaths. They had a city to save and I really, _really_ didn’t want them to see me cry.

“I agree with Evan, you really must go before it’s too late,” Master Fu says, preparing the gauze and what looked like antiseptic.

“But…” Chat trails off, looking lost and frustrated.

“He’s right, Chat,” Ladybug puts her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, “the best thing we can do for him now is get the Akuma.”

Face screwing up in frustration, he lets out a groaned sigh. “ _Okay._ ”

Nodding in satisfaction, she gives me one last concerned smile before heading back out the window.

Chat goes to follow her but pauses and glances at Master Fu, who hums inconspicuously to himself while making an oddly big show of fiddling with the medical supplies. Deeming it okay, he crouches down and gives me a quick kiss.

“I’ll be right back, okay? So try not to get in any more trouble.”

Nodding, he brushes his thumb against my cheek with a pained expression before reluctantly pulling away and actually following after Ladybug this time.

“ _EVAN!!!_ ”

Wincing at the loud cry the cuts through the air the moment they leave, I only have a moment to react before Blann throws himself at my face and clings to my cheek.

“Are you okay? Wait-- of course you’re not!” he cries loudly, large, wet tears soaking my cheek and dripping down my chin.

“Blann, give him some space. Master Fu has yet to heal him,” a new voice chides, a tiny turtle Kwami pulling the wailing rabbit Kwami off me.

“B-But Wayzz…”

“Come help me prepare the tea while he’s tended to,” the turtle says, offering no room for debate as he practically drags him out of the room.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen him so energetic,” Master Fu says wistfully and I cry out in pain when I move to look at him. “Ah! No moving, Evan. We have to fix your shoulder first.”

Shifting my eyes away with a nervous twinge, I grip my injured arm tightly. “Alright.” It wasn’t like this would be the first time.

Holding some strong smelling herbs under my nose, I glance at him wearily before breathing in. Almost immediately the burning pain lessens some and I almost chase after him for more when he pulls the bowl away.

“Ready for the hard part?” he asks gently, and I swallow heavily before nodding.

Placing his right hand against the front of my shoulder, his other hand supports my upper back. With a quick warning he presses against the dislocated joint and I almost faint from the burst of excruciating pain that accompanies the loud pop as it snaps back into socket. But it only lasts a moment and my whole body goes limp and I shudder at the blissful lack of pain, only a throbbing stinging left in its wake.

“Feel better?” Master Fu asks.

Rolling my shoulder carefully I nod. The leftover ache was nothing compared to earlier. Laying back as he cleans the dried blood from the wound, I fight the exhaustion weighing me down.

“So, Chat Noir’s your _treasure_ , is he?”

Jumping in surprise, I hiss in pain as he chides me to lay back down. “He...it’s not like that…”

“I’m sure,” he hums with a knowing smile. “Some Yang rabbit holders are just naturally drawn to their own Chat Noir’s I suppose.”

Embarrassed, I close my eyes and try not to let it show on my face. “I...he’ll probably fall back in love with Ladybug,” I say, though the words sounded like a lie even to my own ears.

“Have confidence, Evan, it’s not wrong to strive for happiness.”

“But--” I wince as he presses the gauze against the wound on my head-- “what if it ends badly? I…”

“So you’d rather wait for a supposed tragic end instead of fighting for love?” he asks straightforwardly.

I fall silent, clenching the front of my hoodie before quietly admitting, “I don’t want to get hurt.”

He leans back with a shake of his head. “And treating your relationship with Chat Noir as disposable isn’t already hurting you both?”

Unable to respond, I shift my gaze away. He was right. Preparing myself for inevitable heartbreak _did_ hurt. But it was hard rationalizing his feelings for me. I mean, the guy I’ve loved for _so, so_ long now feels the same? Even likes me enough to want to reveal his real identity to me? Me, plain, awkward Evan Mercier? The thought made me want to scoff but...it really was happening, wasn’t it? Chat _did_ seem to love me, and he _did_ want me to know who he really was.

So why was it so hard for me to admit it to myself?

“Too long in your head can lead to overthinking,” Master Fu chides lightly as he sits back.

Fingers trailing up to touch the gauze now wrapped around my head, Blann and the turtle Kwami enter the room while carrying a tray of tea between them.

With a garbled cry when he sees me, Blann almost drops the tray as the other Kwami warns him to stay calm. Barely restraining himself, he latches onto me the moment they set it down on the table. “Are you okay now?! In any pain?” he cries loudly while clinging to the front of my hoodie.

“I’m fine now,” I comfort, cupping him with one of my hands as I sit up. Wincing at the stab of pain from my head, I do my best to ignore it. “We should go.”

“What?!” the kwami lets go and glares at me. “You’re hurt! You can’t go!”

“I _have_ to,” I state firmly, furrowing my brow. What kind of hero would I be if I just relaxed while they were out there protecting Paris?

“I thought you’d say that,” Master Fu sighs before holding out a cup of tea for me. “Drink this before you go. It should help with the pain.”

Glancing at him, I carefully take the cup and sniff it. It just smelt like regular old tea…

Still, I begin drinking it without complaint. Chugging it, while ignoring Blann’s worried whining, I breathe out roughly and place the cup on the tray before carefully standing. Rolling my shoulder experimentally, I close my eyes and nod to myself. I’d have to be careful but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.

“Please worry about yourself!” Blann continues to plead. “You probably have a concussion and fighting won’t do anything to help it. You need rest!”

I shake my head, resolute. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me now. Purifying the Akuma will set everything back anyway. You _know_ that Blann.”

Tears of frustration build in his eyes and he looks away with crossed arms. “ _Fine!_ Just try not to get hurt any more,” he grumbles.

Promising him with a relieved sigh, I quickly transform before he could change his mind. Finding the gauze that was once wrapped around my head gone, I wince as I touch the throbbing wound, relieved that there didn’t seem to be any more blood.

Stopping me before I could leave, Master Fu drops a small bag in my hand. “Take this. If the pain becomes too much take a pinch and put it under your tongue.”

Strapping the pouch to my belt, I thank him before quickly hopping out of the window a moment before someone enters the room. Hearing panicked talking, I ignore it and pull out my tonfa to look at the GPS. Spotting Chat’s signal at the Arc de Triomphe, I head that way and hope that everything was going okay.

...

_Everything certainly_ wasn’t _going okay!_

Close enough to hear Anansi teasing a staff wielding Nino, I slide behind him just as she knocks him away.

“Oh, has Thumper finally decided to come out of hiding and help?” she taunts.

Sucking in a sharp breath at the ache that shoots up my right shoulder from catching him, I set him down and shake my arm in an attempt to ease the pain. “Just figured they wouldn’t need my help with such a weak villain,” I say mockingly, subtly rolling my shoulder.

“Well, looks like you were wrong, Lapin Blanc.” She motions behind her to the large spider web that had Chat and Alya trapped. “So give me your miraculous and I won’t pummel you to the ground.”

With her distracted, Nino extends Chat’s staff and almost lands a hit but she dodges at the last minute.

“So, who's the fly-weight now, huh?” he says smugly.

Barely getting to him in time as she rushes towards him and punches the ground, my shoulder screams in protest as I hold him while avoiding more of her attacks.

“Put me down,” Nino says loudly. “I need to show her I can protect Alya!”

“Not gonna happen, buddy,” I say with a weak laugh, head beginning to pound from all the quick movements. Faltering as a wave of nausea almost makes me vomit, I’m hit in the back and do my best to shield him as we skid across the ground.

Stomach swirling, my vision blurs as my ears ring. Only managing to get on my hands and knees, one hand clamps over my watering mouth as I try not to vomit.

“I suggest you stay down, cappie,” Anansi warns, casting a large shadow as she looms over us. “Cough up your Miraculous, Lapin Blanc, and I’ll only smack you around a little.”

Getting ready to rudely gesture at her, Nino moves in front of me and extends Chat’s staff, hitting her right under her chin.

“You're gonna regret this big time!” she growls, holding her lower face with a scowl.

He jumps up with a short laugh. “You shouldn't have underestimated me, legs.”

As he forces her back I shakily grab the pouch Master Fu gave me and open it. Ignoring the smell, I take a pinch and shove it under my tongue. Almost gagging at the initial taste, a relieved sigh escapes me as the pounding in my head and shoulder lessens enough for me to actually breathe. Regaining my composure, I sit up and look over at the fighting just as Anansi hurls a screaming Nino into the air. Luckily Ladybug catches him mid-air before swinging away, leaving me and Anasi on the ground.

“Some hero,” she snorts before grinning maliciously at me. “So, little bunny, ready to _really_ fight?”

Sighing resignedly in my head, I activate my Miraculous with a tense smirk and beckon her closer with a jerk of my finger. “Just try and keep up.”

Bolting away as she leaps at me with a roar, I swing around a lamppost and evade her reaching hands as I double back. Flying past her, I play a few more minutes of makeshift tag before the splitting headache from earlier comes back with a vengeance. Almost stumbling as my stomach rolls nauseously, I do my best to fight through it and continue to buy time for whatever Ladybug had planned.

Growing frustrated, Anansi growls and I catch a wicked grin covering her face before she leaps up to her web and crawls towards Chat.

Fear grips at my chest and I ignore the exhaustion seeping into my limbs as I jump on her back. Gripping the front of her helmet as I seethe at her to stay away from him, I use all my strength and body weight into pulling backwards. Digging my heels into her back as she tries to grab me with her multiple hands, two of them try to pry off my tightened grip but I refuse to budge.

Keeping my right arm away-- I didn’t want to give her the chance to grab my Miraculous-- she hisses angrily and rolls on her back.

Unable to move in time I get squished against the web, and no matter how much I struggled I couldn’t get free.

“Close,” Anansi taunt as she pulls out of my grip. “But you’ll have to try harder than that.”

Glaring at her heatedly as I inwardly seethe, my struggles double as she reaches for my bracelet.

“Now, the boss doesn’t _really_ need you pathetic Miraculous, but the less heroes the better,” she says with a cruel smirk, fingers inching closer to it.

“Hey, six-hands! Catch _this!_ ” a voice calls, causing Anansi to turn. Ducking out of the way of a green shield, it barely misses me before curving back to the owner.

A hooded, green costumed hero catches the shield as Ladybug runs alongside him.

“Change of pet? You replaced your kitty and bunny with a turtle?” Anansi goads.

“I love animals, but I'm not into spiders,” Ladybug shoots back before throwing her yoyo.

Swerving out of the way, the villain laughs, “Ha! Missed me.”

Ladybug’s yoyo wraps around the base of the Arc de Triomphe and they disappear underneath and out of view.

“Anansi! I challenge you. One round. You win, you get my Miraculous. I win, you release your prisoners. What do you have to lose? In a few minutes, Cat Noir will transform back anyway!” Ladybug’s voice wrings out, Chat’s rings beeping quickly as if to prove her point.

“Looks like I’m the grand prize,” he laughs, nervousness tinging his words.

Holding in a groan of pain as my shoulder begins to hurt alongside my head, I try to grin. “Think Ladybug’ll put you up on her shelf?”

“Yeah right,” he snorts. “While I’d make a beautiful trophy, I’m much too handsome to hide away from the world.”

Huffing in amusement, I try to shift in a position that would hopefully ease some of the pain in my shoulder as my own Miraculous beeps in warning.

The sounds of fighting echo from down below as Chat mumbles, “If I was going to end up trapped the whole time I should’ve just stayed with him.”

“Hm? Stayed with who?” I ask, already knowing the answer but needing something to distract myself from the mounting pain.

He seems to mull over his words before biting his lip. “Ev-- _someone_ I care about got hurt and I had to leave,” he says after a pause.

_So he was still feeling bad about earlier._

“I’m sure they understand,” I offer steadily, nausea once again beginning to build despite my best efforts.

“Still! He was in so much pain he was _crying_ , and he never cries!” he stresses, looking incredibly upset.

_That’s not true at all,_ I think with a tight smile as I look away guiltily. I was the biggest cry baby I knew.

“I wanted to stay with him so badly.”

“You know you can’t do that, Chat,” I say with a small sigh.

“I know,” he groans. “But he doesn't do well with strangers and I just...wanted to be there…”

Face warming at his casual admission, I curse my impulsive self for ever making him feel upset. Web suddenly shaking as a loud cracking noise echoes from below, I grin through the throbbing of my head. “Looks like you’ll be able to check on him soon.”

The Arc de Triomphe starts to crumble around us as Ladybug and the newest hero leap up to us. With her telling him to use his power now, he holds up his shield and activates his Miraculous.

“ _Shellter!_ ”

A big green glowing ball circles around us, cutting us from the web and we fall to the ground as the Arc crumbles around us. Protected by the shield, we’re left unharmed and I blink as he de-activates his power.

_That was a lot more useful than being able to run fast…_

“You're not really replacing us with a turtle, are you?” Chat asks Ladybug with a pout, and I match his look as I turn to her.

“Not now,” she warns as Anansi stands from the rubble. Glancing at Chat, she quickly hurls him at the villain with a shout. “Throw like a ladybug, scratch like a cat!”

Anansi’s boxing helmet disintegrates when his activated Cataclysm touches it and the Akuma flies from the broken remains.

With Ladybug purifying the Akuma, Anansi transforms back to Nora as ladybugs zip through the air.

As soon as they pass over me I breathe a sigh of relief, the pain and nausea disappearing in a flash. Stretching my shoulder, my Miraculous beeps in warning and I groan.

“Did Chat Noir leave already?” Ladybug wonders aloud and I freeze.

Glancing around for him, a wave of panic sweeps through me at his absence. He didn’t head back to Master Fu’s already, did he? Spotting his disappearing figure, I bite the inside of my cheek before hurriedly saying goodbye and following after him. _Of course_ he’d leave without a warning. Why try to make it easy on me?

Not wanting to be spotted, I stay away and hurriedly take as many shortcuts as I could. Heart slamming in my chest as I anxiously push forward, the massage shop comes into view and my breath hitches when he speeds up.

Quickening my pace, because I was really cutting it close now, he suddenly stops to glance at his hand, most likely checking his ring. More than happy to use the distraction, I drop down into the alley and de-transform before quickly heading inside.

Master Fu startles for a moment before taking in my frazzled appearance and quickly leading me to the room I was originally left in.

Begging to get there before Chat, my hope dies as he opens the door, Chat already inside and looking worried.

“Evan!” he shouts excitedly, fears vanishing as he all but pounces on me. Covering my face in a flurry of kisses, he completely ignores the older man standing off to the side. “Are you feeling better now?” he asks, hands threaded behind my neck as he pulls back to look me over.

Nodding, I pull my hair up to show him the lack of dried blood coating my head.

Letting out a long sigh, he sags against me and nuzzles his head under my chin. “I’m _so_ glad. I came as soon as we dealt with the villain,” he mumbles, a quiet purring filling the room as he continues to nuzzle against me.

Chuckling softly, I easily forget my earlier frazzled attitude and go to wrap my arms around him before Master Fu clears his throat.

Freezing, my face burns hotly as I awkwardly drop my arms while Chat pulls away with his own embarrassed flush.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I think Chat Noir should be leaving soon,” he says with a smile, eyes almost dancing in amusement.

“Oh, yeah…I should…” he trails off, rubbing the back of his neck before glancing at me and whispering, “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Satisfied when I nod, he leans in to kiss me goodbye before remembering Master Fu and pulling away with a nervous chuckle. Settling on squeezing my hands, he leaves as his ring beeps once more, signaling he only had precious moments before he had to transform back.

“You have the poor boy utterly smitten, you know,” Master Fu laughs as soon as he leaves.

Face burning anew, I quickly thank him for his help before leaving, his laughter following me all the way outside.

Pulling at the collar of my hoodie to cool myself, my blush almost fades as someone calls out to me. Ears perking at the familiar voice, my mind immediately shifts to Chat as I turn.

Except it wasn’t.

“Hey, Evan,” Adrien greets with a wave as he stops in front of me.

“Adrien?” I blink, confused. “What are you doing here? I thought you were stuck at home.”

“Ah, well…” he chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, “I...uh, snuck out?”

I eye him suspiciously. His bodyguard was extra attentive ever since we went to the park after school last week. So how did he even manage to get away?

“But that doesn’t matter. Since we bumped into each other, I figured we could walk home together.”

Still wary of his story, I nod and point down the street. “I was planning on walking home because the subway’s usually crowded after an Akuma attack,” I explain, frown tugging at the corners of my mouth at the mere thought.

“I don’t mind walking with you,” he says smoothly, sliding close as we begin heading down the street.

Hand accidentally brushing his more than once, I stuff them in my hoodie with a quiet apology.

A look of exasperation flashes across his face before he sighs with an affectionate smile. “You really plan on making it hard, don’t you?” he says softly, shoulder bumping mine before I could question him.

Taking a few steps ahead, he looks up at the sky before turning to me with a curious look. “By the way, what does _Schatz_ mean?”

I blink. “What?”

“Just curious,” he says with a small shrug, though his eyes never leave mine.

“Uh, I mean...it’s usually used as a term of endearment. Like calling someone honey or darling,” I answer hesitantly. “Though it can mean treasure too.”

“ _Really?_ ” he asks, looking beyond pleased even as his face reddens a few shades.

Nodding lightly, I bite the inside of my cheek as he falls back in step with me with a large grin, one question nagging at me the whole walk home.

_How’d he know that word?_

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evan, once again, throwing himself into trouble and getting hurt. And Adrien/Chat, once again, growing increasingly worried at Evan's hobbies. He's also dropping some major hints at this point, but Evan's still a pro at avoiding the truth.
> 
> The next chapter is Sandboy, and the plans I have for my poor boy lol
> 
> This chapters art --> [Hurt Evan (but whats new about that?)](https://dopesharktree.tumblr.com/post/644019151604760576/look-i-like-the-idea-of-chat-being)


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